TURNER — Residents of Greene, Leeds and Turner approved all 18 articles on the Maine School Administrative District 52 budget warrant Thursday.
The revised $30.2 million spending plan will go to a vote Tuesday. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the respective Town Offices.
Moderated by Richard Spencer, the districtwide meeting drew 43 voters, far more than the first one in April.
Two proposed amendments, one to cut the regular instruction budget by $225,000 and another to increase the school administration budget by $96,000, failed.
Tammy Fereshetian of Turner motioned to reduce $225,000 from the regular instruction budget with the aim of removing three proposed instructional coaches slated to address learning gaps and behaviors at Greene Central School, Leeds Central School and Tripp Middle School. Each position was estimated to cost $75,000.
One kindergarten teacher from Turner said the amendment made her nervous because there was no guarantee the instructional coaches would be cut. Turner Primary School is slated to receive an additional kindergarten teacher, and she asked the board not to cut the position if the regular instruction budget was reduced, citing concerns for class size.
Residents can motion to amend the funding totals for each article, but it is up to the board of directors to decide how to use the funds.
The amendment ultimately failed by a voice vote.
Jimmy Childs of Leeds motioned to raise the school administration budget by $96,000 with the hope of hiring a school resource officer for Tripp Middle School and Leavitt Area High School. He cited concerns for school violence and bullying in schools as motivation.
Several residents said they would like to see the school board give greater consideration to hiring a school resource officer before the amendment was rejected.
“I would argue that even if you only have one (school resource officer) between the schools, that’s better than none,” one resident said.
Article 15, which asked voters to approve $5.1 million more in local funds than the state funding model recommendation, passed 32-11 by secret ballot.
The additional revenue will help fund advanced placement courses, co-curricular and extracurricular costs, maintenance and operation costs of the district’s sewer treatment plant and special education, which are not fully covered by state subsidy.
The revised budget is $105,127 less than the first proposal of $30.3 million, reducing the overall tax impact from 2.81% to 1.99%.
Under the revised budget, owners of a property assessed at $200,000 will pay $54 more for school taxes this year in Greene, $86 more in Leeds and $28 more in Turner.
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