LIVERMORE FALLS — Thursday night, May 14, Regional School Unit 73 directors set June 15 as the date for the postponed district budget meeting and July 14 for the district referendum vote.
The budget meeting was to have been held 6 p.m. April 9 at Spruce Mountain Middle School and the vote April 28 in the towns of Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls. Those dates were canceled due to Governor Mills’ stay-at-home order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Superintendent Scott Albert said it depends on the governor’s reopening plan date of June 1 for allowing gatherings of up to 50 people.
“We could hold the main meeting in the middle school gym with another section in the cafeteria,” he said.
Albert said the library could be used for overflow.
“I don’t think we’ll have that many but we need to be prepared in case we do,” he said.
Albert said holding the meeting then would put the district within the 30-day rule for the referendum vote. Word from the governor on waiving budget meetings hasn’t happened, he said.
“As long as the 50 people rule goes into effect; if it stays at 10 there’s no way we can do that,” Albert said.
The board also voted to move $193,000 from debt service to facilities and maintenance on the 202/21 budget warrant.
Albert said the money was originally for Phase II of the Siemens project. Even if approved, the first payment would come the following year. The building and grounds committee wanted to use the money for paving the district, he said.
“Because we wouldn’t have a loan, it shouldn’t come out of debt service. It should fall under operation of the plant,” Albert said. “The request to move the money is to make sure it’s in the right place. We don’t want people questioning it later on.
“It doesn’t change the overall budget.”
Albert said the changes can be attached to the original warrant, which wouldn’t need to be re-signed.
He noted there are separate warrants for debt service and facilities and maintenance.
Director Ann Schwab said, “Because the paving doesn’t fall under the specifications Siemens can work on, energy or efficiency stuff, we’re not able to put it under Phase II.”
In other business the board approved bids for the sale of three older district transportation vehicles. Vehicle, bid amount and bidder were:
• 1997 GMC 1 Ton Box Truck $1,026 Edward LaPointe
• 2001 GMC 77 Passenger School Bus $1,126 Edward LaPointe
• 2000 GMC 1 Ton Box Truck $1,132 Allen Adams of Custom Chrome Motors
The board also voted to offer Albert a 3-year contract effective July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024. The board chairman and vice chairman were authorized to negotiate the contract.
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