NEW VINEYARD – In an effort to improve communications and cut costs, representatives from SAD 9 are meeting with selectmen in each of the district’s nine towns.

The meetings, which started Monday night, will run through the beginning of February, bring together SAD 9 board members, the district’s superintendent, Michael Cormier, and assistant superintendent, Susan Pratt, and area selectmen and community members.

Cormier says it’s a chance for the district to hear about budgetary concerns and issues facing the area’s small towns before he and his team start working on the budget.

He is optimistic that town and district officials will find areas where they can cut costs. Sometimes, this type of meeting produces simple ways to save money that have never been thought of before, he said.

And, “I would hope it might improve communications,” Cormier said.

The schedule of meetings was in response to vocalization by area taxpayers in the past that the district came to towns only after the budget had been drafted out, at which point many costs are already as low as they can go.

Meetings between SAD 9 representatives and selectmen will be open to the public.

After looking over comments collected at the nine meetings around the district, Cormier says principals will start handing in their budgets and a first draft will be handed out in early March.

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link