PARIS — School Administrative District 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts unveiled a proposed $40.04 million budget to the board of directors Monday night.

The proposed budget is $157,166 less than this fiscal year.

“This is the best guess at where things are going,” Colpitts said.

The proposed total assessment shows increases for all eight district towns. They range from 1.54 percent for Waterford to a high of 6.70 for Otisfield. Oxford will see a 5.37 percent increase; Paris, 3.92 percent; and Norway, 3.84 percent.

“Everyone will see an increase, if the budget passes without changes,” Colpitts said.

There is $1.1 million for new or expanded positions including:

• A teaching principal at Otisfield Elementary School;

• $340,000 for six pre-kindergarten teachers;

• $175,000 for two social workers;

• $135,000 for special education technicians;

• $67,250 for a substance abuse coordinator; 

• $30,000 for the elementary summer school; and

• $27,600 for the Streaked Mountain School lease and renovations at the new Paris facility.

Three areas of fixed costs show increases, including $653,178 for special education, $876,889 for health insurance, $523,980 in negotiated costs to date.

The plan has no money for a new high school roof, a single bus run for late class starts at the high and middle school, grade 3-6 interventionists and full-time principals at the Harrison and Waterford elementary schools.

Colpitts said the board and administration have no control over student enrollments, town valuations, cost sharing, and special education services.

The budget will be presented to selectmen in the eight district towns Tuesday evening. The Budget Committee’s recommendations will go to the board for a vote May 7. 

Also Monday evening, Shawn Lambert, director of the Oxford Hills Technical School, unveiled a $3.65 million budget. It’s $285,003 more than this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Lambert said there’s about $100,000 more for contingency in case a piece of equipment goes down.

The budget will be presented to the Maine Vocational Region 11 board of directors Thursday night.

 dixon@sunmediagroup.net

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