Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12’s new proposed cost sharing formula was approved by the voters across the eight towns in the district with 4,481 in favor and 2,710 opposing at the November 6 election.

The new cost sharing formula will have all towns pay $11,882 per student beginning July 1, 2013. The new formula will decrease the allocations for Wiscasset, Alna, Chelsea and Westport Island, and increase the assessments for Somerville. Whitefield, Windsor and Palermo.

A safety net transition period will be used for three years. This safety net will limit the local cost savings caused by the cost-sharing change to 25 percent in the first year, 50 percent in the second year, and 75 percent in the third year.  After three years, the towns will save the full amount beginning July 1, 2017.

How the vote affected area towns

Wiscasset will pay $1,309.14 less per student. With a student count of 449.5, the town will be assessed $597,940.61 less than it was asked to pay for 2013 based on historical cost.

Westport Island will pay 205.98 less per student. With 72 students, the town will be assessed $405,692.99 less than it was asked to pay for 2013 based on historical cost

Alna will pay $170.24 less per student. With 96 students, the town will be assessed $81,036.74 less than it was asked to pay for  2013 based on historical cost.

Palermo: The cost per student in Palermo has increased by $2,314.74. For school year 2013, with 203 students, the total local allocation using the cost per student formula is $346,342.22 more that what Palermo has been asked to pay in 2013 based on historical cost.

Whitefield: The cost per student in Whitefield has increased by $1,223.01. For the school year 2013, with 318 students, the total local allocation using the cost per student formula is $45,078.62 more than Whitefield has been asked to pay in 2013 based on historical costs.

Chelsea: The cost per student in Chelsea increased by $773.35.  For 2013's school year, with 349 students, the total local allocation using the cost per student is $123,503.62 less than Chelsea has been asked to pay in 2013, based on historical cost.

Windsor: The cost per student in Windsor has increased by $1,813.29. For 2013's school year, with 377.5 students, the total local allocation using the cost per student formula is $303,699.04 more than what Windsor has been asked to pay in 2013, based on historical cost.

Somerville: The only town in the RSU that voted down the new cost sharing formula will have an increase of $1,889.54 per student. For 2013's school year, with 55.5 students, the total allocation will be $126,164.89 more than what the town has been asked to pay in 2013, based on historical cost.