JAY – The new state school consolidation law will override residents’ June vote to hold a referendum to set the next school budget for 2008-09.

The law requires school systems to follow the new regional school unit budget format to vote on next year’s budget, even though, if voters in Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls approve a joint school system on June 10, 2008, that school system would not begin until July 1, 2009.

Jay school Superintendent Robert Wall recently gave selectmen an update of what’s going to need to happen in the coming months to comply with the state law.

Traditionally, Jay residents vote on municipal and school budgets by referendum.

Under the new law, Jay and other school systems will have to hold a traditional-style town meeting to vote on proposed expenditures for 11 cost-sharing categories. Those are regular instruction, special education, career and technical education, other instruction, including summer school and extracurricular instruction, student and staff support, system administration, school administration, transportation and buses, facilities maintenance, debt service and other commitments and all other expenditures, including school lunch.

Within 10 days of that vote, a yes or no referendum needs to be scheduled to vote on one question asking if voters approve the budget that was passed at the budget meeting that includes any additional local funds over the state’s minimum essential programs and services funding model.

If a school system meets the state’s funding model, the question posed to those voters doesn’t include the additional funds.

A Regional Planning Committee consisting of town and school officials and residents will hold its first meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at LaFleur’s Restaurant in Jay.

On that committee are Jay School Committee members, Chairwoman Mary Redmond-Luce and Daniel DiPompo, Selectman Warren Bryant and as alternate board Chairman Bill Harlow, and resident, Paul Gilbert, all of Jay, SAD 36 Chairman Ashley O’Brien, SAD 36 Vice Chairman Fred Nadeau of Livermore Falls and SAD 36 Director Cindy Young of Livermore, Livermore Falls Selectman David Lemire and resident, Lynn Knight, and Livermore Selectperson John Wakefield and resident, Clint Boothby.

New state financial figures have been calculated as an example to show what towns would pay if the system was combined, using the current year’s budget figures. The state’s share would be $6.7 million and Jay would pay $8.13 million, which is about $172,410 less than it currently does, Livermore would pay $1.48 million, $86,353 more than it does now and Livermore Falls would pay nearly $1.48 million, $86,057 more than it currently does.

The figures for Livermore and Livermore Falls don’t factor in local only debt owed to build the SAD 36 elementary school without state aid. Livermore’s share is $115,491 and Livermore Falls’ is $205,673.

The reason Jay would pay less in this scenario, Jay Business Manager Stacie Everett said, is because the state has calculated in the school department’s cash balance of $432,699 that is from efficiencies in the system.

Livermore’s cash balance is $25,060 and Livermore Falls’ is $24,940, a data sheet reflects.

Though SAD 36 meets the state’s minimum school funding formula and Jay exceeds it, both Livermore and Livermore Falls would share in Jay’s overage in additional local funding.