RUMFORD — Superintendent Deborah Alden said Wednesday night that five retirements and more tuition have lessened the impact of the $27.73 million budget for Regional School Unit 10.

She spoke to the few residents who attended Wednesday’s public hearing at Rumford Elementary School.

The district has proposed a budget for 2017-18 that will not include five towns that withdrew last year: Canton, Carthage, Dixfield and Peru, which formed RSU 56, and Byron.

According to the RSU 10 board, the local contribution for the budget is 46.7 percent, the state contribution is 42 percent, and miscellaneous revenue is 11.3 percent.

The estimated tax impact from the seven district towns, based on properties assessed at $100,000 and $200,000, respectively, is: Buckfield $50-$75 and $100-$150 more; Mexico, $66 and $132 more; Roxbury, $110 and $220 more; Rumford $0 and $0; and Sumner, $55 and $110 more. 

Estimates from Hanover and Hartford were not available.

“Miscellaneous revenue has gone way up and part of that is because of what RSU 56 is going to owe us, but also part of this is because we really are looking to get more tuition revenue, especially through our Pennacook Learning Center program,” Alden said.

The center is in Rumford and is used for special education programs.

Gordon Gamble of Roxbury asked for an explanation of miscellaneous revenue and Business Manager Mary Dailey said much of it is from tuition from Andover, Byron, some of the unorganized territories and Pennacook Learning Center.

Alden said, “We still have seven buildings to maintain to educate roughly 1,800 students. That’s still quite a few buildings for that number of students, and certain costs are the same even though we have 750 less students.”

Five retirements should save roughly $75,000 in the coming year. The budget also reflects a health insurance increase is 1.18 percent, $268,000 more tuition from Pennacook Learning Center, and a grant of $798,000 to repair and retrofit the Pennacook building and train staff.

The budget validation referendum is set for June 13 at polling stations in Rumford, Mexico, Roxbury, Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner and Hanover.

Voting on a $900,250 bond for the Mountain Valley High School roof repair will be held July 11 in the seven towns.

The next school board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 22, at Dirigo High School in Dixfield.

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

Gordon Gamble of Roxbury asked Regional School Unit 10 officials Wednesday night to define “miscellaneous revenue” during a public hearing at Rumford Elementary School on the proposed $27.73 million budget for 2017-18.

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