BUCKFIELD — Regional School Unit 10 Superintendent Deborah Alden on Monday gave the school board the “grim reality” of next year’s budget: an 18.5 percent increase in the amount to be raised by the seven towns.

That figure is $14.93 million for 2017-18. It’s almost half of the general appropriations of $29.23 million.

The budget for 2016-17 is about $38 million.

“We’re getting $7.5 million less from the state and $4.5 million less because of the five towns that withdrew,” Alden said.

Byron, Dixfield, Canton, Carthage and Peru withdrew from the district last year, leaving Rumford, Mexico, Roxbury, Hanover, Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner.

Some proposed budget cuts are sharing English Language Learner services with other districts, and sharing costs of the coordination of transportation and maintenance services with other districts, including neighboring RSU 56 in Dixfield. 

Other possible cuts to consider are sharing a technology director with SAD 44 in Bethel, a $42,000 savings; and sharing the assistant business manager’s services, a savings of $49,000. 

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RSU 10 school board members discuss the budget on Monday night at Buckfield High School.

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