ROCKLAND, Maine — Residents of the Rockland area can gather tonight to help decide the fate of a proposed $26.15 million Regional School Unit budget for 2016-2017.
The districtwide public meeting is set for 6 p.m. at Oceanside High School East’s auditorium. Residents of Rockland, Thomaston, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Cushing can attend that session and adopt the budget as proposed or make changes.
Whatever amount is approved at that meeting then will be voted up or down at the polls on June 14.
The proposed budget would result in a net loss of eight positions. The cuts include a couple of special education positions, a few teachers and two administration assistants, resulting from the consolidation of school buildings. Superintendent John McDonald said last month he expected layoffs would be avoided largely through attrition as staff retire.
The $26,150,000 budget represents a $909,250 (3.6 percent) increase in expenditures. Salary increases account for $833,000 of that amount.
If the budget is approved as is, the amount of property taxes to be raised by the five RSU 13 municipalities will increase by $535,577, or about 2.6 percent. Rockland would see the smallest increase — $162,124. Thomaston would pay an additional $157,329. South Thomaston would pay an additional $111,550, Owls Head $85,492 and Cushing $19,082.