RANGELEY – The Rangeley School Board did not take action at Tuesday night’s meeting on a resolution regarding Carol Palesky’s property tax cap proposal.
The referendum that seeks to cap property taxes at 1 percent of assessed value has “educators around the state concerned,” according to Rangeley middle school teacher Sherry Connally. The effect the proposal would have on the school system was not clear to board members.
“We need more education on the issue,” said board member Harold Schaetzle. The board decided to table the resolution until further research on the subject can be brought before them. Superintendent Mike Buckley promised to research the initiative and its impact on the Rangeley school system, and said he would report back to the board. Board member Russ Brooks asked Buckley to, “Please include good points to the cap, if there are any.”
Principal Don Salm said new policies and practices, including a weekly newsletter sent to parents and caregivers, 7:30 a.m. faculty coverage for early arriving students, guidelines for visitors, measures to decrease class interruptions, and changes such as the addition of breakfast in the lunch program, are being well received by parents and teachers.
In other business, a policy allowing students at Rangeley High School to have a student representative present at future school board meetings was passed. The representative will be a student body-elected sophomore, junior or senior with at least a 3.0 grade-point average and must be a member of the student council.
The board reviewed the school nurse job description and discussed advertising options to fill the position that will soon be vacated by the present nurse. Repairs and maintenance to the gymnasium floor were also discussed and tabled until further information and estimates from contractors can be gathered. Buckley said that after 25 years of use, the gymnasium floor needs to be resanded, at a likely price tag of $15,000.
A school open house for the community was suggested, with a tentative date of Oct. 7.
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