MEXICO – Residents of the Region 9 School of Applied Technology have a chance on Tuesday to learn about the proposed 2003-2004 secondary and adult education budgets at a public hearing at 6:30 p.m.

If passed by a majority of voters at a meeting May 20, the vocational school’s secondary operating budget will rise 5.8 percent to $1 million. The adult and community education budget will rise 5.5 percent to almost $203,000.

Region 9 Director Deborah Guimont said most of the increases are caused by a 20 percent hike in health insurance premiums and teacher salary hikes that will bring instructors’ pay in line with the average of salaries paid by the region’s sending schools.

She said the proposed budgets are very conservative. No further cuts can be made in the secondary program without dropping programs, she added.

Following the public hearing, the annual election of officers will be held during the 7:30 p.m. board meeting.

Guimont said she will also present her annual report. Updates from adult education, student services and the technology program will be given, and board members are expected to act on nearly two dozen revised policies.

Board members are expected to approve hiring two part-time adult education teachers and act on probationary contracts for the student services coordinator and the co-operative education teacher.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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