MEXICO — The Regional School Unit 10 board Monday passed a proposed 2012-13 budget of more than $35 million, just over $1 million more than the current fiscal year.
The vote came after an extensive discussion on staffing and the possible impact on taxpayers.
The proposed budget is $35,145,068, compared for $34,121,426 for this fiscal year which ends June 30.
The weighted vote was 11,870 yes and 5,458 no. Voting in favor were Maida Demers-Dobson, Barbara Chow, Jerry Wiley, Bruce Ross, Jessica Hines, Peter Zanoni, Marcia Chaisson, Armand Howe and Cindy Bissell. Voting against were Betty Barrett, John Phillips, Linda Westleigh, Judy Boucher, Ronnie Hutchinson and Denise Carrier. Tracey Higley and Dan Force were absent.
The proposed budget may reduce the 32 job losses by one, that of a physical education teacher.
Superintendent Tom Ward said with the obesity epidemic, particularly among the young, no physical education positions should be eliminated.
The list of cuts included a half-time physical education teacher at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford and one at Dirigo Middle School in Dixfield.
Ward agreed, at the request of Demers-Dobson, to look into the number of cuts slated for Buckfield Junior-Senior High School.
“I may have to come back to the board,” he said.
Demers-Dobson said cutting the same number of positions in a small school as in a larger school could be detrimental to Buckfield’s educational program.
“It’s impossible to treat the high schools as one size fits all,” she said. “Losing 2.5 teachers at Buckfield is a bigger hit than losing 2.5 teachers at Mountain Valley,” she said.
Buckfield Junior-Senior High School has an enrollment of about 300. Dirigo and Mountain Valley schools have enrollments at least twice that number.
The board voted nearly unanimously not to approve a pay-to-participate policy for middle and high school sports and other activities. It would have required $25 or $50 fees.
Ward had been directed to check into such a policy as a way to raise revenue. Instead, he said he would meet with the administrative team to discuss a possible activity fee for all students. If that should become policy, he said it wouldn’t go into effect until next year.
In another matter, the board accepted the resignation of Paula Leavitt, co-director of the district’s special education program. She has taken a similar position at RSU 9 in Farmington.
About 75 people, including many RSU 10 staff members, attended Monday’s board meeting.
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- High school students J.T. Gurney and Troy Cochran speak against charging fees to participate in sports and other school activities at Monday night’s Regional School Unit 10 board meeting.
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