MEXICO – The Region 9 School of Applied Technology board overwhelmingly approved the vocational school’s secondary and adult and community education budgets Tuesday night.

Now, voters will have their say at a districtwide vote at 6:30 p.m. May 18 at the River Road school.

As adopted, residents of the 16-town vocational district will decide whether to approve a $1,053,444 secondary 2004-05 budget, up about 5 percent from this year’s operating budget, and a $213,354 adult education budget, also up about 5 percent.

Of the secondary budget, $1,027,044 would be raised through member school district and unaffiliated towns funds. The remaining amount comes from carryover, e-rate reimbursement, and unorganized territory tuition.

For the adult education budget, member towns must raise $82,288. The remaining $128,066 would come from carryover, grants, tuition and lab fees.

Region 9 Director Deborah Guimont said the higher budget figures were the result of significant increases in vehicular, liability and building insurance premiums, and modest salary increases for the school’s staff.

At Tuesday’s reorganizational meeting, Norman Clanton, representing SAD 44, was re-elected board chairman; Wayne Thurston, Peru, vice chairman; Guimont as treasurer; and Melanie Babb as secretary.

Thurston and SAD 43 representative Marlene Gile were reappointed to additional three-year terms by their respective boards.

The board also heard reports from several Region 9 students who participated in last month’s statewide Vocational and Industrial Clubs of America competition in Bangor.

Leo Jolin, a Mountain Valley High School senior who plans to attend Central Maine Community College in the fall in the building trades, took home a second place medal and several tools in the carpentry competition. Craig Wade, a junior at Dirigo High School won the second place medal in precision machine tooling, and Mike Dubendris won the third place medal for computer networking.

The Region 9 team of Travis Dragoon, Aaron Robin, Jesse Merrill, Phil Smith and Dana Gross placed fifth in the quiz bowl; Neil McKenna placed fifth in cardiopulmonary resuscitation/first aid; Ryan Dayon placed fourth in welding; and John Wesley placed fourth in courtesy corp.

This was the first time these students had competed with their peers from vocational schools across the state, said VICA advisers, Norm Jamison and Pete Barlow.

The board also approved overnight competitions in May for 19 wood harvesting students who will go to Orono and for about 10 truck driving students who will compete in Dexter.
[email protected]