MEXICO – The Region 9 Cooperative board has decided to hold off on adding several classrooms, programs and upgrades until after the Nov. 2 tax-cap referendum.

Interim Director Harvey Hayden said the state has given preliminary approval for the project, expected not to exceed $1 million. It would provide six new classrooms, including the much-needed chance for one of the vocational programs to move out of the basement, and add at least one other vocational program.

But, he said, “We need to move slow and easy and let Nov. 2 come and go. There’s no way we want a bond issue if the Palesky proposal passes.”

The board does plan to go ahead with bringing the building up to code by installing an elevator, replacing the roof, and building walls between two of the vocational programs, projects that could go as high as $500,000. Officials hope to put both projects on a bond referendum in February so construction could start in the spring.

Board Chairman Norman Clanton said the lower-priced project can’t wait. The roof leaks in many places, he said.

The tax-cap issue will be on the board’s next agenda. Hayden had asked whether the board wanted to take a stand, but because at least one member district has not yet taken a stand, the decision was made to put off a vote until the Oct. 19 meeting. At that time, a resolution will be presented by Hayden and Clanton. Some districts have supported an anti-tax-cap resolution issued by Maine School Management. SAD 43 plans to act on an amended version at a board meeting next month. SAD 21 has already gone on record as opposing the tax-cap proposal.

Hayden estimated Region 9 could incur a 25 to 40 percent decrease in funding if the tax-cap referendum is passed.

Under the proposal, property taxes would be capped at $10 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

“The message ought to be clear that it would be devastating to the vocational program you’ve worked so hard to put together,” he said.

Clanton said the relationship between the vocational school and its member districts could be drastically changed.

“Instead of cooperative, it could be adversarial,” he said.

That would happen because school districts may be forced to provide only basic academic education if funding is severely curtailed, Hayden explained.