POLAND — The Regional School Unit 16 committee Monday night signed the warrant for 2015-16 financial contributions from the three district towns.
They are: Mechanic Falls, $1.59 million; Minot, $1.86 million; and Poland, $6.7 million. The approximately $10 million represents about half of the $20.7 million budget.
Voters in the three towns will cast ballots Tuesday, June 9, on whether to ratify the budget amount approved at the May 21 districtwide budget meeting. Times and locations of voting are: Mechanic Falls Municipal Building, 4 to 8 p.m.; Minot Town Office, 4 to 8 p.m.; Poland Town Hall, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Also Monday, the School Committee awarded the contract for liability insurance to Kyes Insurance for about $63,000. Other bids were from Maine School Management Association for about $65,000 and Clark’s Insurance for about $61,000.
While the bid from Clark’s was the lowest, it included a much higher deductible than Kyes’ bid.
The committee also voted to put two additional line items in the 2015-16 school budget that were not part of package presented May 21. Ferry Beach environmental science experience was approved, which costs $32,000 and is paid for by non-school sources.
Ferry Beach provides the district with a $10,000 scholarship, Poland Spring Bottling donates $12,000 and community parent-teacher associations in the three towns make up the remaining $10,000.
The committee also approved spending $5,000 out of this year’s budget for Poland Regional High School’s instructional materials to purchase materials to support a forensic course to be taught in 2015-16.
The forensic course will be an elective in the science department, along with electives in astronomy and geology. There appears to be strong student support for the course. Committee member Jack Wiseman said the TV show “C.S.I.” fostered student interest. The money is for supplies, mostly for textbooks, which are seen as a one-time expense.
Principal Cari Medd assured the committee that enough money remained in this year’s instructional materials account to cover the expense.
The School Committee agreed it will hold subcommittee meetings on July 13 and a regular meeting at 5 p.m. Aug. 17 for new committee member orientation. A regular meeting will convene at 6:30 p.m.
Former member Norm Davis of Poland has offered to serve until the April 2016 town elections. He is expected to be formally appointed by Poland selectmen at their next meeting.
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