During a public meeting January 10, Wiscasset Withdrawal Committee consultant Ray Poulin told residents the cost to operate the three schools in Wiscasset as a standalone school district could be $8.8 million the first year – a million dollars more than staying in RSU 12.

However, after the election of a school committee and development of a school budget, that figure could drop, Poulin said.

Poulin also said if the town did vote to withdraw from the RSU 12, (which serves schools in schools from Wiscasset, Westport Island, Alna, Chelsea, Somerville, Whitefield and Windsor),  it would be voters who would control the budget. “It would be up to the voters to decide the amount of additional local contribution they wanted to spend beyond the local contribution required by the state,” he said.

Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith said a $1.4 million increase in education would add $3.15 to the current tax rate of $15.90, bringing to $19.05.

“There are many options available to the town to cut costs; the figures I have presented are estimates and could change when we receive the latest data from RSU 12, or should changes occur in state allocation and we built them into our calculations,” Poulin said. “These are the best estimates possible with the information we have.”

In 2009, which was the last year of the municipal school district, the total expenditures budgeted was $9.3 million. However, that year the state’s contribution was $3 million; in 2013 it is being estimated to be just over $1 million, and could be even less.

In 2009 the school received tuition of $1.69 million and another $485,000 from other federal and state subsidies. The town’s local contribution required was $2.51 million and local additional contribution was $1.55 million for a total contribution of $4.06 million.

Poulin explained his concerns with the budget estimates he had presented. “How much will the local community be willing to raise for Additional Local Share over the local contribution designated by the state; ($3.5 million designated by the state and additional local share in RSU assessment is $1.49 million); The state contribution is only an estimate and could be lower or higher based on resident Pupil Subsidy Counts; and the expenditure estimates are based on Wiscasset’s expenditures the last year they were a municipal school unit (2008-2009) and expenditures designated to Wiscasset Schools by RSU 12 for 2011-2012.”  

Poulin also said the student count from Westport Island and Alna, who are tuition students, are less now than in 2009.  

In October 2008, Westport Island was sending 81 percent of its students to Wiscasset; in October 2011, only 77.6 percent of their students attended Wiscasset schools.

In October 2007, Alna was sending 69 percent of its students to Wiscasset; in October 2011, 52.7 percent of Alna's students attended Wiscasset schools, according to Poulin.

The new cost sharing formula approved by seven of eight towns in RSU 12 will have all towns pay $11,882 per student beginning July 1, 2013. With a student count of 449.5, the town will be assessed just over $5 million.

The new formula will decrease the allocations for Wiscasset, Alna, Chelsea and Westport Island, and increase the assessments for Somerville. Whitefield, Windsor and Palermo.

It is estimated by the RSU the new cost sharing formula will save Wiscasset $587,940 and a safety net transition period will be used for three years.

The Wiscasset Withdrawal Committee and the RSU 12 board's Ad-hoc Negotiating Committee are scheduled to meet Monday, Jan. 21 to begin negotiating the town’s withdrawal plan.

Wiscasset’s attorney Geoffrey Hole will not be attending the January 21 meeting. Another member of the Bernstein Shur law firm, David Ray, will be there representing Wiscasset.  

Hole indicated that Ray was experienced in negotiations; he is also a member of the Yarmouth School Committee. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the town office meeting room.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.