LIVERMORE FALLS — The Regional School Unit 73 Board of Directors restarted the budget process with a remote public hearing via Zoom videoconferencing Tuesday, August 4.
A similar meeting was held June 23, prior to the referendum vote that had been scheduled for July 14.
“Thereafter it was discovered that the ballots, warrants and other referendum documents contained a substantial error as to the amount of taxes the school board intended and approved to fund the budget and thereby meet its fiscal year 2020/2021 obligations and commitments and provide adequate education,” Superintendent Scott Albert said.
RSU 73 was one of four districts in which errors were made.
“To cure the error and ensure voters have the opportunity to vote on the proposed school budget as the school board intended and approved, the board rescinded the July 14 referendum, called this new remote public hearing and called a new referendum for August 18,” Albert said.
Voting on the $20.2 million spending plan will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, in the three towns sending students to RSU 73. Polling stations will be at Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay, Spruce Mountain Primary School in Livermore and the Livermore Falls Town Office.
The RSU 73 budget for 2020-21 is up $593,445, or 3.03%, over last year.
The RSU 73 proposed expenditures by cost center include:
• $8,039,894 regular instruction
• $3,583,261 special education
• $0 career and technical education
• $4,94,538 other instruction
• $1,664,468 student and staff support
• $609,314 system administration
• $1,036,826 school administration
• $1,449,016 transportation and buses
• $2,734,772 facilities maintenance
• $448,754 debt service and other commitments
• $100,000 all other expenditures
Proposed amounts to be appropriated by municipality: Jay $7.5 million, Livermore $2.8 million and Livermore Falls $6.2 million.
Proposed amounts to be raised by municipality: Jay $4.4 million, Livermore $1.6 million and Livermore Falls $1.4 million.
The total amount appropriated would be $16.5 million. The total raised would be $7.4 million.
RSU 73 would also have to raise and appropriate almost $2.9 million in additional local funds to provide for costs not fully funded by the state.
Voters will answer four questions on Aug. 18.
The first asks to appropriate $20.2 million and raise $10.2 million for the 2020/21 budget.
The second authorizes the school board to transfer amounts exceeding 5% of the total appropriation for any cost center to or among other cost center(s), provided the budget isn’t increased.
The third seeks to appropriate $844,665 and raise $206,965 ($68,988 for each town) for the food service program.
The last question asks to appropriate $387,939 and raise $195,000 ($65,000 for each town) for adult education.
After the ballot questions were reviewed, director Andrew Sylvester noted a resident had asked him about no money being set aside for career education.
“Based on a conversation with you (Albert), because we’re part of Foster Career and Technical Education Center, those services are provided to the district,” Sylvester said.
“We’re part of that region so it’s already paid for. It’s not paid for out of our individual budget,” Albert said.
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