RANGELEY — The School Committee unanimously approved a $3.4 million budget for 2012-13 in front of an overflow crowd of staff, teachers and students Tuesday.

The budget goes to the town’s annual budget meeting at the Rangeley Lakes Regional School gym at 6 p.m. June 5.

The Rangeley Lakes Regional School Committee adopted the budget, its third draft, after several rounds of discussions and debate.  The precise figure, $3,375,832.99, matches the current fiscal year budget to the penny, school officials said.

During a tense meeting earlier in the week, the School Committee asked staff to suggest cuts to make the new budget the same amount as the current year.

The board’s first draft came in at $165,000 over the current year, the next draft cut that increase to $115,000 before they handed the final reductions over to staff.

Although two committee members cautioned they could be setting themselves up for failure if they adopted the new budget without study, numerous teachers spoke about working in good faith for two days to reduce the budget without eliminating personnel.

Teachers expressed a willingness to stay late to discuss any and all changes with the board.  

The budget reductions the staff came up with included cuts in replacement teacher salaries, eliminating the special education coordinator, reducing administrators’ salaries, as well the postponing some purchases, including new cheerleader uniforms and a pottery kiln.

Board member Bill Roy thanked the teachers and staff for their work on the budget reduction.

In addition to passing the budget draft as submitted, the board also approved an article to raise an additional $50,000 for a capitol reserve account.

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