On Monday evening, Westport Island selectmen met with members of the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 school board and Superintendent Howard Tuttle to review the RSU’s preliminary, draft budget for 2017-18.

Westport Island’s representatives to the school board, Richard De Vries and Bobbie Newberg, joined fellow members Ralph Hilton of Alna and Jerry Nault of Windsor. Belinda Waterhouse, RSU 12 business manager, helped participants with information.    

The school district includes Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Whitefield, Windsor and Westport Island.  Westport Island was an independent school district prior to joining in 2009.

On Monday, Tuttle reviewed the draft and asked for feedback from town officials. Westport Island was the first town to review the information.

Priorities for the year include accommodating school choice, programs and staff for positive behaviors, maintaining the technology infrastructure and improving facilities. Transportation is also a concern. The district has a fleet of 20 buses and each lasts about 10 years.

The preliminary, 2017-18 budget draft is $21,614,183, an increase of 3.54 percent over 2016-17. This will create a total local share from all the towns of $11,456,474 which is up 6.8 percent over 2016-17.

Westport Island has the fewest students; its share would be $658,259.

The draft budget will be reviewed with the other towns. A district-wide budget meeting is planned for Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Chelsea Elementary School. All Westport Island residents are encouraged to attend the meeting, where district residents vote on the budget piece by piece. The budget then goes on to a district-wide vote at the polls.

The meeting with RSU officials was followed by selectmen’s regular meeting. Fire Chief Bob Mooney said the department is looking for a facility to house Engine 1, a 1963 Ford fire truck. The truck has sentimental value to the department and needs to be stored indoors on a concrete slab. Engine 1 is approximately 23 feet long, 7-1/2 feet wide and nine feet tall. Anyone who has a storage facility and would like to help may contact Mooney at 207-460-0367.

Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters Gaye Wagner presented the draft calendar for the town meeting and elections.

Absentee ballot applications are now available. Nomination papers for those interested in running for either of the two school board seats or the third selectman position will be available at the town office on March 21.

May 2 is the deadline to return nomination papers, and proposed articles for the town warrant.  Absentee voting will begin May 16 and the state referendum and the town meeting secret ballot elections will be held June 13 at the town hall. The annual town meeting is June 24.