PHILLIPS — Voters in four towns Tuesday approved a $9.74 million budget for School Administrative District 58.
By supporting the spending plan for 2019-20, voters also approved $1.6 million to pay costs not covered by the Maine Department of Education. Those costs include co-curricular activities, athletics, student transportation, special education, debt service not funded by the state and certain operational or maintenance costs.
Those costs have to be paid by the district and approved by voters each year. The SAD 58 budget year begins July 1.
“I am delighted that the budget was supported,” Superintendent Susan Pratt said. “It shows the support the citizens have for providing for the education of the children we serve.”
The 3.5% increase to the overall budget will require the district’s four towns — Avon, Kingfield, Phillips and Strong — to make larger contributions to school spending.
Broken down, the four communities will pay the following to the school district in 2019-20:
• Avon: $529,780, up from $484,083 this year. A 9.44% increase.
• Kingfield: $1.64 million, up from $1,549,681. A 5.63% increase.
• Phillips: $1.06 million, up from $983,227. An 8.11% increase.
• Strong: $1.09 million, up from $1,013,348. A 7.73% increase.
Voters also approved continuing the two-part budget approval process, which includes a district budget validation vote and a final total by voters in each of the four towns.
SAD 58 currently enrolls 466 resident students and receives tuition payments for 141 students who live outside the four towns.
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