The School Union 29 Committee has approved the central office budget for 2006-07 at a little over $640,000.

With certain revenues factored in and a cost-sharing formula approved, Mechanic Falls will be billed $134,541 – $1,060 less than this year. Minot’s share would be $130,610, an increase of $866; and Poland would pay $353,019, an increase of $3,083.

In other business:

• Over the objection of Minot committee members, the committee voted to hold all future union committee meetings at Poland Regional High School.

In the past, Union Committee meetings have rotated through the three member towns. However, the fact that meetings can be televised to cable subscribers in Poland and much of Minot, if held at the high school, persuaded a change in tradition.

• In its elections of officers for 2006, the committee named Karen Whalen of Minot to serve as chairman, Kim Moody of Poland as vice chairman and Terry Arsenault of Mechanic Falls as secretary.

– Winslow Durgin
Sabattus: Town Charter Commission filled

Selectman Stephen Wood has been appointed to the new Charter Commission, approved by voters in November. To comply with state regulations, the commission must meet within 30 days of the election. That means it must meet by Dec. 8, according to Town Clerk Robin Dulac.

– Nick Angelides
Lewiston: Schools seek improvements

The Lewiston School Committee is looking for nearly $1.4 million to work on the high school, middle school and central office.

The committee has agreed to forward a list of school improvements to the city for possible inclusion in a bond package, Superintendent Leon Levesque said. The nearly $1.4 million would help restore Lewiston Middle School’s brick facade and fix the school’s roof, would pay for work to the Dingley Building’s boiler, ventilation and air conditioning systems and would replace some flooring at Lewiston High School.

If the City Council approves, the projects would be added to a capital improvements bond package that would provide money for both school and city projects in 2007. The school system would pay for its part of the bond.

The school department also is considering more than $5 million in capital improvements between 2008 and 2010. Those projects include an addition to McMahon Elementary School, work on the Lewiston High School gym floor, the reconfiguration of Montello Elementary School’s entrance and upgrades to Montello and Longley elementary schools’ plumbing systems. The school system will request bonds for those projects the year before it wants to do them.

– Lindsay Tice

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