There were no surprises when it came time to vote in Newcastle's secondary school budget.

Unlike their neighbors across the bridge, Newcastle voter approved the secondary school budget on Wednesday, May 13.

Also unlike their neighbors, Newcastle is set for only a small increase in the 2015-16 budget.

The budget will increase by $170,875, or 16 percent, to $1.23 million. The secondary school budget covers tuition costs for student to go to Lincoln Academy, or covers the expenses should students go to out-of-district schools such as Wiscasset High School, Carrabassett Valley Academy, North Yarmouth Academy among others.

AOS 93 superintendent Steve Bailey said this year's budget covers the town in the event of unexpected increases.

“There's an increase this year, and that's mainly because there are more secondary students,” Bailey said. “We're going from 76 (this year) to 78.5 next year.

“The other major increase this year is in regular instruction. There are other increases and decreases in other areas.”

Bailey said this year's budget has a number of safeguards, so the school district won't have to go back before voters and ask for more money, should several transfer students again swell Newcastle's ranks.

Another increase comes from the state, Bailey said, as towns need to prepare for a decrease in state aid. The regular instruction is budgeted at 6 percent above the actual rates.

“We'd be fine at 4 percent this year, but next year we'll definitely want it to be 6 percent,” he said. “When I talked (to state officials) they said 4, 5 percent is fine, but 6 percent is where you really want to be.”

Newcastle's neighbors Damariscotta didn't approve the secondary school budget. Damariscotta voters declined a proposed budget on Wednesday, May 6.

Most of the reasons given for voting against a 34 percent increase in the budget came from a $200,000 increase in special education that would be used to cover the cost of one student who would need to go out of state for a specialty school.

Had it been approved, the proposed budget would have increased from $1.27 million in 2014-15 to $1.7 million in 2015-16. Instead, the school board will need to reconvene and bring another budget before voters before July 1, otherwise the budget will remain the same as 2014-15.