HARRISON — SAD 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts unveiled a proposed $37.65 million budget Monday night that includes $225,000 for four more teachers to reduce elementary class sizes.

“It was not an easy budget to put together,” Colpitts told directors meeting at the Harrison Elementary School.

The budget for 2014-15 is 4.75 percent more than this fiscal year and calls for an average 4.5 percent increase in the local share.

Colpitts told about 30 school officials, employees and others that the spending plan also includes $201,690 for the second year lease payment of the Oxford Hills Middle School in Oxford, $326,908 for the second year payment for technology at the middle and high schools, and $45,000 for technology integration teachers at both levels.

The budget also includes $25,000 to start a preschool at the Hebron Station School, $450,000 for teacher retirements, and $500,000 in health insurance increases, which school districts are now responsible for.

The proposed budget will maintain existing programming across the district.

“Everything stays in place,” Colpitts said.

The budget continues to defer maintenance costs and only buys two of three requested buses.

The budget is 4 percent below the state-required Essentials Programs and Services amount.

SAD 17 is in the first year of a three-year ramp-up to meet the 100 percent local share EPS mandate. The district and a few others were under a waiver from the 100 percent compliance until June 2013.

SAD 17 ranks 202 out of 220 school systems in per-pupil spending, according to fiscal 2012 numbers. Of the 25 largest school systems in the state, SAD 17 ranks 24th in per pupil spending, Colpitts said.

The proposed budget will go to four hearings in the eight district towns:

* April 15 at 7 p.m. at Oxford Elementary School for Oxford and Otisfield residents;

* April 15 at 7 p.m. at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway for Norway and Paris residents.

* April 16 at 7 p.m. at Hebron Station School for Hebron and West Paris residents.

* April 16 at 7 p.m. at Harrison Elementary School for Harrison and Waterford residents.

The Budget Committee will meet April 30 to finalize the spending plan. It will the be presented to the school board May 5 for adoption.

District voters will act on it at 7 p.m. June 5 in the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Forum in Paris. The budget validation referendum in all eight towns is set for June 10.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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