DIXFIELD — Residents of RSU 10’s 12 member towns will go to the polls Tuesday, June 10, to decide whether to validate a $36.2 budget and to choose four school board members.
About 100 residents approved the proposed budget at a districtwide meeting June 3.
Although the proposed budget for 2014-15 is down slightly from this fiscal year, Superintendent Craig King said most towns will see an increase in their school assessment, largely because the state reduced general purpose aid to the district by $1.1 million for the upcoming year.
The board had attempted to bring in a proposed budget that would not increase town assessment by eliminating 44 full- and part-time positions, closing the Dirigo East Campus which houses the central offices, several classrooms and the fitness center, and by making other cost cuts.
Member towns must make up $609,000.
If the budget is passed as proposed, the assessments will be:
Buckfield, up $35,867; Byron, down $54,586; Canton, up $6,501; Carthage, up $14,332; Dixfield, up $43,276; Hanover, up $67,960; Hartford, up $37,932; Mexico, up $69,664; Peru, up $16,698; Roxbury, up $14,302; Rumford, up $321,976; and Sumner, up $35,521.
King said he and the board are preparing for expected savings during fiscal year 2015-16 by making more efficient use of buildings.
A Building Committee has toured each RSU building and an architect is studying the buildings to find potential savings. The report likely will be ready for public input within a few months.
Polling hours and locations June 10 are:
* Buckfield, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Municipal Center
* Byron, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office
* Canton, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office
* Carthage, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office
* Dixfield, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., American Legion Hall
* Hanover, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office
* Hartford, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Hall
* Mexico, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Calvin P. Lyons Meeting Hall
* Peru, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office
* Roxbury, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Hall;
* Rumford, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., American Legion Hall
* Sumner, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Bisbee-Dyer Municipal Center
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