SUMNER – SAD 39 Superintendent Richard Colpitts reviewed the new state law on the budget validation process with selectmen Tuesday night.

School systems in Maine must use the process for budget approval starting with the 2008-09 budget.

Under the law, there will be a budget meeting in each of SAD 39’s three towns where voters will act on each 11 cost centers. The cost centers cover all school expenditure categories – regular instruction, special education, career and technical education, other instruction, student and staff support, system administration, school administration, transportation, facilities maintenance, debt service and others areas food services and adult education.

The time line for the process is for selectmen to approve a warrant and post it, and seven days later an information budget meeting will be held for voters. No longer than 10 days later, a validation referendum will be held where voters will either pass or reject the budget.

If the budget fails, 10 days later the process can be repeated and this goes on until a budget is passed, according to the law. The days between the meeting and the referendum are business days.

The referendum will have only one question, to approve or not approve the budget. There will be no money amounts on the ballot, but the school board must provide in the voter’s booth a list of articles and amounts.

Towns must use the process for three years after which the towns may vote whether to continue with the budget validation referendum. If voters reject the process, then the budget approval will be with a budget meeting only.

Colpitts said the School Committee has a tentative time line. The board will vote on the budget on April 16, 2008. The warrant will be posted on April 24, 2008. The meeting will be held on May 13, 2008, and the budget validation referendum on May 15, 2008. This time line will impact absentee voters.