RUMFORD — The RSU 10 board overwhelmingly approved a proposed $36.2 million budget for 2014-15 Monday night, which is slightly more than this fiscal year.
“We have turned over every stone and bent over backward,” Superintendent Craig King said.
Officials had $1.1 million less in general purpose aid to education to work with and $1.6 million more in contractual obligations.
To keep the spending at or near this year’s budget of $35.6 million, nearly 45 positions were eliminated. Cuts included 1.5 administrators, including one building principal, 22.5 teaching positions, 9.5 educational technicians, two secretaries, four clerical support staff, one custodian and one technology support staff.
Two athletic middle school stipend positions were eliminated and one position for $13,000 was created to serve Dirigo and Mountain Valley middle schools. Two stipend positions for assistant principals were cut.
Also, all administrative pay increases were frozen, and the former Dixfield Elementary School will be closed and the central school district office, classes and community fitness room moved to other sites.
The working budget had eliminated $27,000 for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation, but some of that was added back in after King spoke with a NEASC spokeswoman who waived most fees and reacrreditation fees for one to two years.
Other cuts included summer school wages of $13,000, sports and non-sports co-curricular costs of $150,000, teacher leadership stipends of $22,000, contingency funds of $40,000 and technology hardware and software of $35,000.
“We want to get a budget to the people for June 10,” King said.
If voters approve the budget, Byron will see a decrease in its assessment, while Mexico, Rumford, Roxbury, Canton, Carthage, Peru, Dixfield, Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner and Hanover will see increases.
Public informational meetings on the budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at Buckfield Junior-Senior High School and at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at Dirigo High School in Dixfield.
A districtwide vote will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 3 at Dirigo High School, and a budget validation referendum in each town is set for June 10.
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