WALES — School board directors put off a vote on the RSU 4 budget Wednesday night and agreed to reconsider the move to privatize school busing at a special meeting next week.

They can’t commit to a budget until the bus issue is settled, Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said Thursday.

Two weeks ago, by a narrow vote, the board signaled approval to contract bus service, saving the district up to an estimated $233,000 a year but also laying off 22 drivers. Some of them have been driving the routes for decades. Hundreds of people turned out to that meeting, many against the idea.

“This has been an excellent board to work with (and) this has been a difficult issue for them,” Hodgkin said.

He heard from some members who felt rushed in making that decision and some who might change their mind, Hodgkin said. So the issue was returned to the agenda this week. Discussion ended when the board got caught up in the mechanics of how to vote on rescinding a previous vote.

“I talked to the attorney this morning,” Hodgkin said.

At a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, at the Oak Hill High School auditorium, directors will vote on whether to rescind bus approval, discuss options, including privatized busing, re-vote and then take up the district budget.

After it put out a request for proposals, RSU 4 heard from only one company, Northeast Charter. If the district accepts its bid, Northeast would use the school’s buses and offer to rehire its drivers at the same rate of pay but without benefits.

“I think it’s a viable option for the district; I think we need to take more time and understand the whole impact of it,” Hodgkin said. “It’s so hard to overlook the amount of money we’re being told we can potentially save.”

The current school year budget is $17,228,309. If directors opt for privatized busing, the budget next year would increase 2.16 percent, he said. With busing as is, the increase is 2.74 percent.

But options include staff reductions. Two districtwide special education teachers would be cut and a gifted and talented teacher would move from full-time to part-time. Through attrition, the district would also lose physical education and science teachers at the high school, along with two districtwide education technicians.

Hodgkin said he would like to talk with the board about adding a high school social studies teacher back in the budget.

If a budget passes next week, it would go to the public as a warrant to examine and approve June 6. Then each town will vote on it June 12.

In the original weighted vote to privatize busing, Chairman Robert Gayton of Sabattus, Rebecca Shedd of Sabattus, Greg Provost of Sabattus and Robert English of Wales voted in favor. Vicki Russell of Litchfield, Scott Weeks of Litchfield, Will Fessenden of Sabattus and Amy Morissette of Wales were opposed.

A ninth member, Joan Thomas of Litchfield, was absent.

kskelton@sunjournal.com