The board of directors approved Maine School Administrative School District’s budget May 4, and a full-time position was restored just before the vote was taken.

Among the positions cut from Superintendent Heather Manchester’s proposed budget was reducing Oxford Hills Middle School’s substance misuse counselor from a full-time to half-time position and be shared with the high school. 

Middle school social worker Mallory Grobe spoke about the workload she and the middle school’s substance misuse counselor carry, after which the board decided to continue funding it as full time.

This academic year Grobe has handled 52 student cases. Contacts range from multiple times a week to occasional check-ins.

The middle school substance misuse counselor has had a caseload of 42 students since September.

“I’ve seen how much substance use impacts our students,” Grobe told the board. “Even at the middle school, whether they’re affected by members of their family using substances, or even using them themselves.

“I’ve learned that 65% of our district lives in poverty. Substance use is greatly related to that, along with the other traumas that come with poverty.

“I think it’s in the best interest for our kids that this position should not be cut,” Grobe said.

Director Gary Smith, of Oxford, initiated discussion of the position after Manchester concluded her budget presentation later in the meeting, making a motion to add $49,278 to the budget to fully restore the position. Oxford Director Nathan Broyer seconded the motion.

Board Chair Troy Ripley, of Paris, noted the funding could come from contingency before the start of the next school year instead of having to recalculate an entire budget that was moments away from being approved for public hearing.

There is precedent for using contingency funds to pay salaries of positions deemed necessary after budgets have been finalized.

Smith withdrew his motion but Broyer immediately made a motion to tap the contingency fund now, stating he opposes cutting student services critical to kids in need. Otisfield Director Diana Olsen seconded his motion. 

The discussion that followed focused around whether there were other accounts from which to fund the $50,000 now, or go to contingency in September.

Broyer pointed out that a valued counselor who sees their job cut in half is not likely to stay in it, which would create additional hardships for students counting on the support.

“It’s easy to say we’ll find the money if we need it,” he said. “It’s a lot harder to find a counselor when we need it. They don’t come on a shelf … and we have one now.”

Broyer’s motion passed, 13-7.

Voting to fund the counselor job full time were Oxford Directors Broyer, Shauna Broyer and Gary Smith; Otisfield Directors Olsen and Mike Newsom; West Paris Directors Veronica Poland and Donna Marshall; Norway Directors Curtis Cole, Kelly Jacobson and Bob Schott; Paris Director Doreen Simmons; Hebron Director Lew Williams; and Waterford Director Judy Green.

Opposing were Paris Directors Ripley and Christie Wessels; Hebron Director Tanya Dunn; Harrison Directors Mark Heidmann and Vice Chair Mark Curran; Norway Director Peter Wood and Oxford Director Gay DeHart.

Paris Director Jennifer Russell was not present and one of Waterford’s two seats is vacant.

Following the vote, which does not change the proposed budget’s bottom line, all 20 directors voted unanimously to approve it.

A public hearing on the school budget is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Forum, 256 Main St., Paris. If validated at the meeting, the budget will go to voters in their respective towns June 9 during statewide and primary elections.

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