Friday night, the Wiscasset Budget Committee gave the school budget the clean sweep of recommendations school officials were hoping for. The $9.4 million offer got votes of 5-0-1 for each piece and for the full budget.

Member John Merry abstained from all voting, due to his job as the school department’s facilities and transportation director. Without him, the panel had no quorum. Then member Kristin Draper, just getting off work, joined the group and voting began. The committee’s recommendations go to voters at a special town meeting tentatively set for May 15.

The proposed budget keeps the share from property taxes flat with 2016-17. When Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot met with the committee earlier in April, the draft called for a 1.3 percent tax hike. On Friday, Wilmot reviewed the changes. Regular instruction costs went down $50,265 after Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 opted to offer Alna and Westport Island pre-K in Edgecomb; and the school committee added $17,000 to contingency instead of $50,000.

Budget committee secretary Fred Quivey asked about pre-K. Wilmot explained a possible second teacher was pulled from the budget because the RSU’s students weren’t coming and fall enrollment stands at 12. She said the number could change with families moving in or out of town, or any new signups at the pre-K informational night May 24.  If enrollment hits 17, the department would seek a waiver from the state to exceed the 16-student limit for one teacher, Wilmot said.

“Thank you for working so hard to pare that down,” Vice Chairman William Laliberte said about the local tab. He led the meeting in Chairman Bob Blagden’s absence.

Wilmot thanked the panel and said the department is proud of the budget. She said it was fiscally responsible and met students’ best interests and the interest of achievement, three goals from the outset.

Outside the municipal building afterward, Wilmot said she had been confident the committee would support the offer. School Committee Chairman Michael Dunn said it was the outcome they were hoping for after working through the budget process. The next step is getting voters’ support, he said. The school committee passed the budget offer April 27.