MEXICO – The Region 9 School of Applied Technology board continued working through its budget development process Tuesday night by calling a closed session to discuss staff positions as they relate to the 2008-2009 budget.

“It’s been tough,” said the vocational school’s director, Brenda Gammon.

Board members hoped for a preliminary budget ready for review Tuesday night, but numbers are still being revised. Costs associated with adding two new vocational programs slated to begin at the start of the 2008-2009 school year, and the first year’s payment due on the current $4.9 million renovation and building project, are among the factors complicating the budget process.

Gammon had said that the vocational school is trying to work out a budget with minimal increases for the region’s three sending schools, which are SAD 43, SAD 21 and SAD 44.

Last year’s approved secondary budget came in at $1.4 million.

The board’s Finance Committee plans another meeting Friday morning to continue budget talks. The Personnel and Program Committee will schedule a meeting after the Finance Committee makes its recommendations for possible changes to the overall vocational offerings.

In the meantime, Gammon has been meeting with the superintendents of the three sending school districts to work out a vocational plan.

A preliminary 2008-2009 budget most likely will not be ready until the March 18 board meeting.

In other matters, the board approved a trip for 20 forestry students to participate in the state’s wood harvesting competition in Houlton May 15 and 16. Costs will be paid through the program’s student activities fund, financed by timber cutting projects. They also approved sending 14 students to the annual Skills U.S.A. competition in Bangor on March 13 and 14, and approved an annual trip by truck driving students to attend a truck show in April in Boston.

The newly organized advisory committees that will work with staff for the soon-to-be-offered early childhood and automotive technology vocational programs were scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Feb. 19 and and 5:30 p.m., Feb. 26, respectively.