Wiscasset school committee members June 19 said they want to cut no employees as they prepare the next budget offer. They also urged caution if any cuts in maintenance spending are considered. Members were asking questions and commenting as they start budget work. The first budget offer lost at the polls June 10, under the prior school committee.

Member Doug Merrill asked for the "actual" budgets for fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 2024, to "see which line items are habitually overfunded." Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kim Andersson said she would get those to the committee the next day. She also said she has asked each department head "to find ways they felt they could reduce. I think that we will find money in facilities and maintenance."

"Then we need to be careful ... It's fool's gold when you cut your maintenance short," Merrill said. "We don't want to be in the same position that Boothbay's in."

According to a budget calendar, the committee meets next at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 3.

The budget that passed at a special town meeting April 29 will take effect July 1 as an interim budget, Andersson said. "And we could continue to do this as long as it takes." A special town meeting has been eyed for July 23; a referendum vote would follow within 45 days, according to Andersson.

Vice Chair Jonathan Barnes, who had dissented in the committee's vote on the budget in March, commented they do not know if townspeople June 10 had wanted a smaller budget offer, or a bigger one.

Chair Tracey Whitney recalled from her dissenting vote in March, she had come in that night planning to vote for the proposal. But when Barnes still had questions, she had wanted to table the vote until all the questions were answered.