FARMINGTON — The RSU 9 directors will accept comments from the audience Tuesday, April 29, on which priorities should be kept in the 2014-15 budget that is under development.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Forum at Mt. Blue Campus, the site of the high school located on Seamon Road.

The school board has been reviewing individual sections of the prekindergarten through 12th grade budget and the Foster Career and Technology Education budget since the beginning of April. 

No bottom line has been set.

The board is faced with a $600,000 increase in staff salaries and benefits that were previously negotiated, as well as the need to raise an additional $221,000 to get the full state share allotted under the state’s funding formula.

The Budget Committee has also identified $832,530 in required needs and priorities. Of that amount, $581,296 is considered required needs.

The board wants the public to weigh in on the priorities, Superintendent Tom Ward said April 18.

The board will also discuss the updated ED 279 state subsidy report that shows the district losing about $400,000, he said.

Among the Budget Committee’s recommendations are:

*$50,977 for special education technicians at Mallett School in Farmington.

* $65,400 for water, sewer and electricity at the Mt. Blue Campus, site of the high school. Ward said it is not unusual for a new facility to have increases in utilities.

* $37,378 to make the half-time assistant principal position at Mt. Blue Middle School full time. Sixth-graders will attend that school next year.

* $61,025 for a new new physical education teaching position to increase physical activity for elementary school students.

* $44,721 for a kindergarten teaching position at the Mallet School in Farmington that is currently paid for in the contingency account. The position was necessary because the number of students increased last year after the budget was finalized.

* $57,769 for another second-grade teacher at the Mallett School, where there are more students.

* $43,200 for a half-time principal for the Wilton schools.

* $52,477 to make library education technician specialists full time.

* $41,000 for new computers for kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers.

*$61,025 for a physical education teacher.

*$28,295 for a half-time math interventionist at the middle school.

*$31,000 for an additional half-time school nurse.

*$55,000 for technology staff.

There is a possible $208,844 in reimbursements to offset the needs.

District Business Manager Kris Pottle will review the budget increases and decreases during Tuesday’s meeting.

Adult Education Director Ray Therrien will also give an overview of the proposed adult education budget.

Budget deliberations are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 1, in the Forum at Mt. Blue Campus.

dperry@sunjournal.com