PARIS — Maine School Administrative District 17 directors approved a lease-purchase package Monday of almost $410,000 for facilities and Transportation Department equipment.
The package includes a new fire panel to be installed at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, a truck with a plow and sander for the Transportation Department, a mower/snowblower and several small snowblowers to be used at district elementary schools.
The cost of the fire panel is $311,416. The plow truck expense will be $61,000, and the smaller equipment units have a combined cost of about $37,400. Financing will be through Gorham Savings Bank at a rate of 4.63% over a three-year term.
The high schools’ fire panel is 25 years old and near its end-of-life use. Facilities Director Jason Lampert reported that when it was originally installed, the wiring was not adequately done.
The new system is expected to be calibrated so that if a fire alarm is pulled, the exact location will be pinpointed, improving evacuations and helping first responders get to the location as soon as possible.
“If the unit we have now goes,” said Director Gary Smith of Oxford, “The school will close – for months.”
The panel is to be installed after school closes for summer vacation next year.
Lampert also gave a brief report detailing the priorities he has tackled since joining the district in fall of 2023. At the top of his list, he said, he has been establishing relationships with school administrators and addressing outstanding needs in each of their buildings.
Parking lot sweeping and parking line painting had fallen by the wayside during the pandemic, but all lots in the district are now swept and painted and all playgrounds in the district now have proper wood chip beds in place.
Otisfield Community School’s modular class building has been finished, its fire suppression system installed and is open to students.
Lampert said his department has also been working with SAD 17’s Technology Department in preparation of safety and security upgrades that is expected to be obtained through a $500,000 COPS grant.
OXFORD HILLS BUDGET

Maine School Administrative District 17 Superintendent Heather Manchester, standing in back, walks school board directors through the details of Maine’s formulas for funding public education essential programs and services. She presented the budgeting process for school districts to follow during a workshop Monday night at Central Office. Also pictured are directors Shauna Broyer and Nathan Broyer. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat
Ahead of Monday’s board meeting, directors attended a workshop, “Budget Boot Camp: Essential Programs and Services (EPS).”
Superintendent Heather Manchester led a presentation to help the board better understand how the Maine Department of Education calculates state and local share funding for public education.
In addition to its complicated and rigid structure, EPS formulas are not meant to determine sustaining public education costs, but set the state standard for minimum sufficient funding.
SAD 17’s Board Chairperson Troy Ripley of Paris said he was disappointed that taxpayers do not participate in informational processes like this workshop. He said invitations were extended to the select boards of all eight towns in the Oxford Hills district but none attended.
The sole exception was Dana Dillingham, vice chairperson for Oxford’s Select Board, who also serves as chair for SAD 17’s Elementary School Building Committee.
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