Voters passed each of the 23 Articles set forth in the 2024-2025 budget at the RSU 40 budget adoption meeting May 14 at Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro. More than 100 citizens from Friendship, Union, Waldoboro, Warren, and Washington attended the meeting, including about 25 voters who opposed each measure in turn. 

After Waldoboro’s Ron Hawes was elected to moderate the meeting and ballot clerks were sworn in, the evening proceeded with quiet passages of Articles 1-6, regarding instruction and school and staff support. 

The first audience questions came with Article 6, System Administration.

Union resident Myrna Soule-Robins asked the School Board to confirm that System Administration had been reduced by 4%; Superintendent Nolan reported it was 3%, not 4%, and that cut had been made. A close vote pushed the moderate to hand count votes; the Article passed 50-31.

Regarding Article 8, Transportation and Business, District Business Manager Karen Pike said the Board is scheduled to approve purchase of two new school buses at the May 16 meeting using funds from the current school year’s budget; the budget for 2024-2025 includes $160,000 earmarked for an additional three buses, taking the new bus total to five by 2026. 

Significant discussion surrounded Article 9, Facilities and Maintenance.

Last fall, voters defeated an $81 million bond measure the Board proposed to deal with falling infrastructure across the district. Pike said many near emergencies face each school, from failing roofs to septic systems.

Scott White, principal of Union Elementary School, moved to add $1 million to the Facilities and Maintenance fund.

“We haven’t done enough and we won’t do enough unless we dedicate more funds,” said White, regarding the multitude of physical plant issues facing each school in the  district. 

Waldoboro Select Board Member Mike Thayer said he opposed the amendment because voters would not know what they would get for that money. 

One voter suggested dedicating the money to Medomak Valley High School septic system, but after a short conference between Board Chair Danny Jackson, Nolan, and Pike, the Board advised that funds cannot be earmarked by voters; they are directed by the school board.

Warren resident Mark Waltz said he opposed the amendment, liking the additional funds to a “pig in a poke.” 

Steven Karp, candidate for Waldoboro’s RSU 40 school board seat, repeated several comments he has made at previous board meetings regarding Maine and RSU 40’s alleged “academic nose dive.”

Earl Robbin,s of Union, said that while he did not want to spend the money, during last fall’s facility tours, the public saw a “lot of boilers in bad shape… we’ll need that $1 million before the end of the school year.” 

After several minutes of discussion, the moderator called the question, an act which forces a vote on the issue being debated. Moderator Hawes requested a written ballot. With 61 votes in favor and 36 against, the amendment was added to Article 9, Facilities and Maintenance. The amended article then passed by a vote of 61 to 36. 

Voters also approved establishing a Capital Reserve Fund, which would pull money from the Undesignated Fund for the Board to dedicate to capital issues through the school year without needed special voter approval. Pike said the current Undesignated Fund balance is $3.5 million.    

The final debate of the evening concerned Article 23, which authorized the School Board to transfer anywhere from 6%-100% of any cost center to another cost center. Superintendent Nolan explained that “cost centers” are any of the first items listed in Articles 1-11. Those lines include all instruction, administration, transportation and facilities. 

Washington citizen Matthew St. Pierre proposed an amendment to alter the Article to disallow the moving the funds. Moderator Hawes said that according to his guidance from the Maine Municipal Association, an amendment which changes the intent of an article shall not be allowed. The article passed as written. 

The approved $38,694,880.81 2024-2025 RSU 40 budget will go to voters in the five towns during Maine’s election on June 11.

Reach Sarah Masters at news@penbaypilot.com