LIVERMORE — Regional School Unit 36 directors will hold a public hearing and vote on a proposed $9.1 million school budget at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Livermore Elementary School.

On Tuesday, June 8, a yes or no referendum vote will be held at the polls to validate what is approved Thursday. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Livermore Falls at the town office and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Livermore town office.

The proposed spending package represents a decrease of $321,711 or 3.53 percent less than the current budget.

The $9.1 million figure does not included the $80,000 needed to be raised for adult education, which is $500 more than the current budget.

The significant loss in state subsidy of nearly $543,861 from the 2009-2010 school year is not easily absorbed through an already lean budget, and many difficult decisions had to be made,” Superintendent Judith Harvey said.

Of the reduction in state aid, $189,082 is attributable to the penalty and not consolidating, she said.

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The portion of the budget funded by the local property taxes is $3.5 million. This is an increase of $24,435 over the current budget, Harvey said.

It is expected Livermore will pay 1.05 percent more than last year, and Livermore Falls will see a decrease of 0.32 percent, according to Harvey’s information.

The budget calls for the elimination of a part-time superintendent and part-time curriculum coordinator districtwide. It also eliminates a part-time assistant principal position and two classroom teaching positions at the elementary school. Also to be eliminated are two classroom teachers, a health teaching position and a half-time secretary at the middle school.

The salary for the assistant principal position is to be decreased by $12,000 to accommodate the decrease in responsibility regarding athletics. A head coach will continue with that work.

There will also be an elimination of a special education III position in special education at the middle school.

A part-time computer technology support staff position and a part-time nurse are both being proposed to increase to full time. There is also an additional $25,000 added into the budget for the school board to work on consolidation with the Jay School Department.

Other reductions are in transportation, minor classroom equipment and books, and kindergarten through 12 athletics.

Initially, the preliminary budget eliminated athletics at the middle school, but $25,000 was added back in for that purpose.

dperry@sunjournal.com


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