FARMINGTON – SAD 9 directors will begin review of a draft $23.8 million spending package for the 2007-08 school year on April 24.

The proposal is 3.75 percent increase or $862,320 over the existing $22.98 million budget, according to a memo from Superintendent Michael Cormier to directors in the SAD 9 budget booklet.

“Unfortunately, the state revenues will not cover the entire increase in the proposed budget,” Cormier wrote.

The projected state allocation is $14.5 million if taxpayers in the nine towns collectively agree to raise $8.56 million, which is $256,332 more than they were asked to raise last year, SAD 9 Business Manager Kris Pottle said Wednesday.

The state allocated $13.8 million last year to the district to help cover the budget and the local taxpayers had to raise $8.3 million.

“The administrative team worked very hard to bring in a budget that reflected the difficult economic times faced by our communities and state,” Cormier wrote in his memo. “Every program was examined and discussed and several were adjusted to bring the district in line with the (state’s essential programs and services funding) model.”

Pottle said the board plans to begin discussion of the budget at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 24 at its regular meeting at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington.

“The administrative team worked to create a responsible budget that will address district needs and still provide some tax relief to our communities,” Cormier wrote in his memo. “Over 78 percent of the district budget is allocated to salaries and benefits and our energy costs have skyrocketed.”

“As a school system, the proposed budget is very responsible,” he wrote. “Out of the 116, (kindergarten through 12th grade) school systems, 72 percent spend more per student than MSAD 9 based upon 2005-2006 figures.”

Budget changes

Among adjustments proposed in the SAD 9 draft budget for 2007-2008 are:

• Elimination of two elementary classroom positions due to declining enrollment – one at Cape Cod Hill School in New Sharon and the other at Mallett School in Farmington.

• Reduction of an English department position to half-time at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington.

• Firefighting program at Foster Regional Applied Technology Center in Farmington has been increased by 25 percent, so it becomes a half-time position.

• Supply money for the elementary, secondary and vocational school was increased by 2.5 percent.

• An additional $10,000 was put in the library budget. After reviewing the age of book collections, it was decided to begin updating collections.

• Operations and maintenance of plant budget again reflects the largest increase. The current budget is $838,988 and the proposed is $909,226, a difference of $70,238. The district has locked in at $2.10 a gallon for heating oil.

• The budget contains $100,000 to pay architectural fees for two building projects approved by the state for future renovation/replacement of Mallett and Mt. Blue High schools. That’s 12 percent of the total budget increase. The district will be reimbursed once the building projects are approved by voters.

• High school musical costs are included in next year’s budget. Musicals are done every two years.

Source: SAD 9 2007-2008 budget book