LIVERMORE FALLS — The RSU 73 board finished its review of a proposed 2014-15 budget Tuesday night and will likely vote on it Thursday night.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Central Office on Cedar Street in Livermore Falls.

The budget stands at $18.86 million, a 1.5 percent increase over the current year.

The board learned that $3,000 was reduced from the original proposed figure from Spruce Mountain Middle School for stipends that were not used.

An argument by some board members to remove the position of administrative support assistant at Spruce Mountain High School was narrowly defeated, 6-5. That position pays about $38,000, including benefits.

“It’s a low cost for a good service,” Superintendent Robert Wall said.

Principal T.J. Plourde also said having the position in the main office was particularly important during the school’s transition years.

The nearly 500 high school students from both the campus in Livermore Falls and Jay now attend school in Jay.

“I’m very much in support of this utility player. It works in our school,” he said.

Jay representative Shari Ouellette said she didn’t want anyone to lose their job, but she was concerned about a potential significant decrease in taxes paid by Verso Paper Co. if its valuation is lowered.

“We must be accountable to taxpayers. If that valuation comes back next year, we’ll be in a lot of trouble,” she said.

Board member Darcie Calden also had reservations about retaining the position.

“Other districts do it with two people. She said she thinks Plourde and Lee Hixon, assistant principal and athletic director, can do it. I have to listen to the people who are voting,” she said.

Jay member Kathryn McAninch disagreed.

“I think that’s a low price to pay for the safety of the students,” she said.

Jay member Mike Morrell, who is a teacher in RSU 17, suggested that board members spend a week in a school seeing what goes on, “when it hits the fan and no one is in the office.”

Plourde said that other schools with only two administrators in the office frequently pay about $60,000 annually to have a resource police officer. The Jay high school does not.

Michael Schaeder suggested that the $38,000 be taken from another account.

Wall said the budget proposal is already very lean.

The board did agree to remove a proposal by Plourde to establish freshman teams and the subsequent stipends and other costs from the proposed budget.

The board also looked at the costs for bus drivers/custodians, but decided to retain the 24 positions as proposed by Transportation Director Ken Vining.

The board is expected to sign warrants for the $18.86 million budget on Thursday, as well as for a separate article asking residents of the district whether to keep a section of the former Livermore Falls High School open.

Residents will vote April 8 on both articles at the old high school in Livermore Falls.

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