JAY — Nearly 40 residents of Regional School Unit 73 approved warrant articles for the 2018-19 budget Thursday night.

The $18.8 million spending plan will be finalized in a validation referendum April 24 at polling stations in Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls.

Superintendent Kenneth Healey said the budget is $749,907 more than this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The increase is mostly because of negotiated or projected salary and benefit increases for staff.

The budget includes $183,000 for a behavioral program for children in grades 2 to 5, and $300,000 for energy efficiencies and facility upgrades to four schools.

Of the behavioral program, Healey said, “Hopefully, we’ll be able to make earlier interventions for those students and have a greater impact earlier on.”

He also said that a recent newspaper article stating teachers would be receiving a 4 percent raise was inaccurate.

“We have not completed negotiations with teachers yet,” Healey said.

He said there would be a 4 percent increase in the first year of the three-year contract for educational technicians and school secretaries to comply with Maine’s minimum wage law.

Healey said $522,000 more than expected in state subsidy was returned to taxpayers to keep taxes down. That, in part, is why taxpayers in the three towns will be paying $1.44 million less than last year, he said.

Jay’s share is down $1.39 million from last year, while Livermore has seen a $41,309 decrease and Livermore Falls a $7,971.11 decrease in assessments.

Jay resident Pam Newton asked about article 4 that requested $461,447 for other instruction.

Healey said it was primarily for co-curricular and academic field trips.

Article 9 asked voters to spend $2.45 million for facilities maintenance. Newton asked if windows would be replaced in the schools.

Healey said some windows in the high school and damaged windows in the other schools would be replaced.

Other articles approved were:

• $7.62 million for regular instruction

• $3.25 million for special education

• $1.78 million for student and staff support

• $581,289 for system administration

• $900,464 for school administration

• $1.25 million for transportation and buses

• $504,116 for debt service

• $286,736 for adult education

bmatulaitis@sunmediagroup.net

Clint Boothby, left, is sworn in as moderator at Thursday’s RSU 73 budget meeting by RSU 73 Superintendent Kenneth Healey. (Barry Matulaitis/Sun Journal)

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