SAD 9 superintendent gives the selectmen some priorities.
WILTON – SAD 9 Superintendent Mike Cormier on Tuesday gave selectmen an overview of the 2004-05 budget that is expected to be presented in March.
He said 78 percent of the school budget is salaries and benefits, and student enrollment appears to be declining so the district will probably be looking at reducing staff.
Among the needs are:
• An elevator at Academy Hill School in Wilton brought up to code at a cost of more than $20,000.
• Carpeting and a gym floor at Cascade Brook School in Farmington.
• More power supply to Mount Blue High School.
“We need to figure out how we will get the money,” Cormier said. He said SAD 9 is currently applying for state grants for upgrades to Mallet School and Mount Blue High School.
Cormier said the schools are required to implement Maine Learning Results in eight content areas, including math, English, science, social studies and physical education/health.
The district must also remain competitive in the job market for teachers and administrators. The district is $2,000 below the average state wage level for teachers at the elementary level, $3,000 below the average at the high school level, and $5,000 below the average at the administrative level.
He said the school funding formula is being changed and money allocated to schools will be based on student/teacher ratios. In the first year the state will pick up 75 percent of the loss and in the second year 50 percent, he said. Then any losses would need to be picked up by municipalities.
Wilton Town Manager Peter Nielsen said Wilton is working on reducing the town’s tax rate, which stands at $21.60. He said the closing of the G.H. Bass Distribution Center will mean a loss of about $50,000 in taxes and significant amounts of money paid by the company for water and sewer.
Cormier suggested the town and district look into sharing fuel, office supplies and furnace contracts to save money.
Selectmen’s Chairman Rodney Hall asked about giving children irradiated food.
Cormier said there are currently no plans to do so, but the school board did recently vote for that option. It would be labeled, he said, adding the federal government says such food is safe.
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