Westport selectmen distributed a draft of the 2016-2017 budget for the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit (RSU 12) at their meeting on Monday evening, April  11.

In addition to Westport Island, the school unit includes the towns of Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Whitefield and Windsor.  

The draft budget proposes an increase of 2.9 percent in expenses overall which represents an increase of $604,000 over the 2015-2016 budget of $20.3 million for a total of $20.9 million.

Priorities identified by the RSU are facilities improvements, school choice, the technology infrastructure and professional development, among others. Each town’s total cost per student is proposed to be $12,874.

Westport Island residents’ costs would be reduced by 17 percent from the previous year’s budget and, if approved, the lower cost represents a reduction of $55.95 of personal tax in the amount contributed to the RSU for every $100,000 of property valuation.

According to George D. Richardson Jr., chairman of the Westport Island Board of Selectmen, “The cost per student is more fair now than it has been in the past.”

The state subsidizes the amount and Westport Island will receive a $590 subsidy for each student. This represents the lowest amount of all the towns in RSU 12. The largest state subsidies per student are allocated to the towns of Chelsea ($7,289) and Windsor ($6,538.)

Significant increases to the overall budget were in the categories of facilities maintenance (20.26 percent), career and technical education (14.7 percent) and transportation and buses (13.51 percent). System administration and regular instruction remained relatively flat as compared to the previous year’s budget.

Based on preliminary budget numbers, the school receiving the largest percentage increase would be Windsor Elementary School with a proposed increase of 10.5 percent. Overall, the district shows facility and technology improvements, new buses and a capital improvement plan to be among those factors contributing to the increased costs.

Westport Island officials strongly encourage residents to attend the district’s budget meeting on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Chelsea Elementary School.

In other school-related news, Westport Island’s children may receive services from either the Newcastle or Bath Head Start program now that the Wiscasset office has closed.

Pat Maguire, family case manager for the Bath office, encourages Westport Island parents interested in Head Start services for their pre-school-aged children to call her for an interview. The program is based on income, but Maguire encourages families to apply. “We also consider special family needs,” she explained.