Wiscasset's school committee June 30 nodded 4-1 the $10.7 million budget offer voters will consider July 23. The budget that comes out of that special town meeting goes on to a vote at the polls Sept. 1, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kim Andersson said.

As proposed, the budget's $6.9 million local ask is less than a half of 1% more than last year's; the budget that lost at the polls by 12 votes June 9 would have instead hiked the local ask about 8%.

Member John Merry said the proposed budget is what he and other members requested, flat with 2025-26. "The superintendent delivered (that)," he said.

And the budget is down by more than $7,000 from last year's, member Doug Merrill said.

"Wonderful," Chair Tracey Whitney said to that.

Vice Chair Jonathan Barnes dissented, calling the budget offer "still way too high." Earlier in the meeting, he commented: "We're trying to rush through the budget without putting a lot of thought into it."

Of the multiple versions Andersson prepared, the committee favored one that kept in the funding for field trips and instructional supplies. She and the committee wanted those in.

“I've worked here a long time and (been) constantly watching teachers reach into their own pockets,” Merry said.

“Never should happen. Happens in all schools,” Barnes said.

“And it never should happen,” Merry said. "And we’ve got to make sure it doesn't, and we need to know if it does,” he added.

The chosen draft still leaves unfilled three educational technician jobs from which one ed tech retired and the other two resigned, Andersson said. Andersson told the committee, "That'll just require some restructuring ... There will be a loss of some services, but I think that we will still be able to function. And the main thing we would really like to have was instructional supplies."

On another budget item, the committee supported replacing one of Wiscasset Elementary School’s aging roofs. Merry, who long directed Wiscasset’s school facilities, recommended getting it done, in light of WES’ planned new entrance, and “instead of watching the water run down the interior wall like it was last winter."

Andersson said the health insurance hike came in at 8.7% instead of the earlier budgeted 10%, so she pared that by 1.3%.

Asked for comment on the budget redo's being on schedule, Andersson said via email July 1, "I appreciate the efficiency and professionalism the School Committee brought to the table for this round of budget revisions. I am hopeful we delivered a budget the people of Wiscasset can feel good about approving at the Special Town Meeting on July 23 (at 6 p.m. in the Wiscasset Middle High School gym) and again on Sept. 1 at the Budget Validation Referendum vote" from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 1 at Wiscasset Community Center, she said.