Maine School Administrative District 17 officials have built a budget for the next fiscal year that has no overall spending increases, Superintendent Heather Manchester said.

“The school board’s direction was to keep the budget flat,” she said Friday afternoon. “We have worked to meet that goal.”

Last year, voters in the eight district towns approved a $54.4 million budget, which was 7.9% higher than the previous year.

Voters are invited to attend one of four public information sessions where budget details will be presented. The first is Wednesday, April 8, at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway at 6 p.m.

There will be two next week: Monday, April 13, at Otisfield Community School starting at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 16, at the Central Office in South Paris at 9 a.m.

The fourth session will take place during the board of directors business meeting May 4, also at the Central Office starting at 7 p.m.

The final proposal will be shared with voters during a May 20 public hearing at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School’s Forum in South Paris at 6 p.m.

The 2026-27 budget referendum vote is scheduled for June 9, the same day as the primary elections.

Last year’s increase was in part due to the Maine Department of Education cutting the district’s subsidy by more than $1 million, based on its calculation that the area’s property tax valuations had grown by $433 million.

“Our enrollments have slightly declined,” Manchester said, making it possible to reassess staff-to-student ratios. The budget eliminates six and a half positions. Two are open teacher positions and one is in special education. Manchester hopes the other three and a half can be reduced through attrition rather than layoffs.

A recently awarded grant is allowing one guidance/social worker position to be removed from the payroll for the next three years. 

Manchester said there are two new positions in the budget: a payroll position and a safety coordinator to oversee security and emergency planning. 

In consideration of unstable fuel markets, SAD 17 has cut transportation for non-league athletics. Busing will not be provided to competitions against nonconference teams, including preseason games. Other programs, such as freshman teams, will also lose bus transportation. Manchester said that gear, uniforms and equipment remain for all teams for now, but they may need to consider a “pay-to-play” model in the future.

Transportation costs are being lowered by acquiring four new school buses through lease-purchase programs with multiple-year terms instead of buying outright. The vehicles will be gas-powered.

Manchester said SAD 17’s facilities department has developed a plan to rotate window replacement in school buildings by priority and will do so through performance contracts instead of direct purchases. A proposal under consideration could provide up to $850,000 over time, which would cover the window expense.

The district contracted with Energy Management Consultants of Portland to transition its facilities to all LED lighting. That 10-year performance contract is projected to save $120,000 this fiscal year.

The draft budget does not provide for replacing or upgrading SAD 17’s bus garage on Brown Street in South Paris. In February, Oxford Hills voters defeated a $3.8 million bond referendum to purchase and renovate the former Bessey Motors dealership on Main Street. 

The cost to renovate and expand the Brown Street location was then estimated at $3 million. The school board’s finance, operations and budget committees are reconsidering its options and will develop a plan for the next four years, in alignment with replacing its fueling station and storage facing end-of-life use.

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