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MSAD 58 budget meeting is May 30

4 mins read

SALEM TOWNSHIP – A $9.37 million budget to appear before MSAD 58 voters next Tuesday, including funds for previously-approved school renovation projects targeting Mt. Abram High School and Phillips Elementary School.

The $9,372,030 budget would represent an increase of 1.97 percent over the current fiscal year’s $9.19 million in approved expenditures. The MSAD 58 board has approved the use of $493,000 out of unassigned funds to reduce the budget’s impact on the local assessment.

That revenue, in addition to the $186,000 increase currently projected in state subsidy, would result in a $7,347 increase to local assessments, combining the impact on Avon, Kingfield, Phillips and Strong. That would represent an increase of 0.21 percent. Those projections are based on the Governor Paul LePage’s state budget, although it remains unclear what will be approved in Augusta and therefore how much revenue any Maine districts will receive. If MSAD 58 receives additional state funds it could use them to further reduce the impact of the budget on local assessments.

The most significant increase can be found in the Special Education cost center, which is expected to increase $183,000 to $1.93 million. A portion of that increase represents the shifting of social worker salaries out of the Student and Staff Support cost center, while it also reflects increase in health insurance costs, salaries and decreases in local entitlement funding, forcing additional positions into the local district budget.

Regular Instruction is proposed to decrease a total of $36,000, mostly due to staff and benefit changes. The district will also save $97,000 next year in debt service relating to the Strong Elementary School loan being paid off. Those savings reflect a decrease from $154,073 in the current fiscal year down to a proposed $57,111: the cost associated with the district’s local share of two renovation projects funded through the Maine Department of Education’s revolving renovation fund.

The renovations, which were approved by a wide margin by voters on April 25, will impact Mt. Abram High School, a 47-year-old building, and Phillips Elementary School, which was built back in 1988. MAHS-related projects include improving ventilation and air exchange in the gymnasium, reinforcing the roof and adding preheated air exchange, and improving ventilation and fire suppression systems in the kitchen. Phillips Elementary School will receive elevator improvements, as well as renovations in the handicapped bathrooms to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. There will also be general accessibility improvements.

The MAHS project will be funded through a $619,106 loan, of which $327,074 would be forgiven. The remaining $292,032 will be repaid by the district. At the Phillips School, a little more than half of the $591,646 loan will be forgiven, leaving $279,079 to be repaid by the district. There is no interest on either loan.

The $57,111 expenditure in this proposed budget will cover the first renovation bond payments.

The budget also includes additional funds to improve district facilities, including $15,000 to continue a roof repair project at Kingfield Elementary School, as well as $7,000 to remove a fuel tank. It sets aside $100,000 to go toward district driveway and parking lot projects. Another $18,000 would go toward refinishing the Phillips School gym floor.

The board intends to create a Capital Reserve Account to fund future facility projects, adding another $180,000 in unassigned money. That account would function as a sort of savings account, similar to how many municipalities save funds for new equipment or projects. That would prevent future repairs from falling directly into the district budget.

The district-wide budget meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 30 at Mt. Abram High School at 6:30 p.m. The budget validation vote is scheduled for June 13, in conjunction with the statewide vote.

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2 Comments

  1. Please vote!!! We must continue to educate our young people in our OWN communities…Education is worth every penny.

  2. MSAD 58 is a great example of responsible management of taxpayers’ hard-earned money. If you read the reports, you’ll find that actual efforts were made to invest wisely and find the most efficient way of doing what needs to be done, without frivolous and wasteful departures…only .21% increase!. Great planning over the long term – sustainable and responsible, and stable.

    Quality of education can’t be boiled down to ‘every penny’ – but maybe every penny WISELY spent with sustainability in mind.

    Good job, other districts would do well to follow this approach!

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