The Edgecomb School Committee passed its proposed $2,688,936.78 budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The budget includes an increase of $24,600, or less than one percent over last year's total of $2,664, 336. The town will vote on the budget at town meeting on Saturday, May 13.

Originally, selectmen and the budget committee asked the school to cut five percent. Prior to the vote, Committee Chair Tom Abello addressed the request in front of the small crowd gathered in the school's auditorium.

“We wanted to be respectful of the selectmen's request, but that would have been a pretty significant gap for this school and it would have meant huge cuts. We came back with a budget that meets the spirit of that, but at the same time protects the foundation of the school,” Abello said.

He said school officials and the committee continue to work with Alna and Westport Island to try to bring more tuition to the school by offering a pre-kindergarten program at Edgecomb Eddy. He said meetings with those towns have been positive. “Rest assured we are committed to the school. And we want to make sure that more parents are involved in this process,” Abello said.

Two meetings will be held at Edgecomb Eddy on Tuesday, May 9. The School Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m. will be followed by a budget review meeting at 6:30 p.m. for parents who might have questions on the budget.