JAY — RSU 73 directors will discuss a revised spending plan Tuesday, Aug. 7, as they start the budget process for the third time.

An $18.8 million spending package failed in June and an $18.7 million budget plan failed on Tuesday by a vote of 346-469. It was rejected in all three towns both times.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Spruce Mountain Middle School in Jay.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at the middle school the board will call the districtwide budget meeting for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the middle school. That is where voters from Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls will gather to set the individual amounts for each article on the warrant.

On Tuesday, Aug. 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. voters in the three towns will again be asked to vote yes or no in a validation referendum to approve a spending package for 2012-13.

Jay resident Al Landry asked why they have to vote yes or no.

“It’s the law,” Superintendent Robert Wall said.

“It doesn’t make much sense if you disagree with one article you have to vote the whole thing down,” Landry said.

Wall said it would be his preference to get rid of the referendum and just have the districtwide budget meeting where each article could be explained prior to voting.

In other business, directors unanimously voted to enter into a one-year contract with Bailey Brothers of Livermore Falls for maintenance and repairs of the RSU 73 bus fleet, vehicles and equipment. It is retroactive to July 1 and will run through June 30, 2013.

The cost per hour will be $57, $1 more an hour than last year.

Vice Chairwoman Mary Redmond-Luce asked about entering into a contract when the budget is not finalized. She asked Bailey Brothers owner Brenda Brochu if the dealership would still do the work at $57 an hour without a contract.

Brochu said she made a good faith effort when she backdated the contract to July 1. It would cost $72.50 an hour to work on a diesel bus or truck without the contract, Brochu said.

Wall recommended the board approve the budget. Most of the maintenance on the buses is done during the summer, he said. The first half of the fleet is due for state inspection in August and the remaining half is due in September.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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