TURNER — SAD 52 voters approved a $25.7 million budget Tuesday, 23-2.
The 2015-16 spending plan represents a $1.4 million increase over this fiscal year. It will go to voters on May 19 for a validation vote.
The budget, which includes computer upgrades at Leavitt Area High School and more social services for students in grades three to six by one day, was approved by the board of directors in early April.
According to Superintendent Henry Aliberti Jr., the budget represents at 3.98 percent increase, along with a 2 percent budget-neutral cost for energy improvements in district buildings that will be reimbursed with $500,000 in energy incentives.
The increase in local costs along with the energy investment will raise the overall budget by $1.4 million for the coming school year, according to Aliberti, for a total expenditure of $25.73 million.
According to Aliberti, the estimated average town assessment increase will be 2.73 percent. In Greene, taxpayers will be assessed an additional $32 per $100,000 of valuation. In Leeds and in Turner, the assessment will be an additional $29 per of $100,000.
The budget includes buying new textbooks for middle school social studies, updating textbooks for high school biology, updating science materials for grades K to six and updating the Everyday Math program for grades three to six.
The budget also includes replacing some buses and other equipment.
The district intends to hire five more educational technicians for the autism program and adding one more day of nursing coverage per week for prekindergarten through sixth-grade students.
In announcing the budget figures, Aliberti said in a written statement that the district is “committed to identifying areas for increased operational efficiencies that will enhance the quality of educational services and programs to our students.” And, he said, “We have an outstanding school system in which we can be very proud.”
He encouraged the community to continue to “collaborate to make informed decisions based on the best interests of our students.”
The budget validation vote is scheduled for 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at the polls in Turner, Leeds and Greene.
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