PERU — One resident of Regional School Unit 10 objected to the proposed $38.23 million spending plan presented at Tuesday night’s public hearing.

The proposal is up 4.2 percent from the 2015-16 budget and the share to be paid by the 12 district towns is up by 2.9 percent.

Dixfield resident Dan McKay objected to the spending plan. He said the number of students attending RSU 10 has declined by 13 percent in the past few years, while spending has increased by 18 percent. The current enrollment is about 2,600.

He said he wished the school district was required to comply with the manner in which towns must devise a budget. That process links the growth of a town with the amount of municipal taxes that can be raised, unless voters agree to raise the budget.

He said his town tax bill shows that 52.2 percent is for schools, 44.4 percent for municipal government and 3.4 percent for county government.

The proposed 2016-17 budget calls for creating two additional elementary teachers to serve Dirigo and Meroby elementary schools, increasing clerical support by 10 hours for each of the three elementary schools, and adding a two-fifths time social worker position at Rumford Elementary School.

Postponed were requested positions for grades six to 12 mathematics at Dirigo and Mountain Valley high schools, and English/Language Arts positions at those two schools, plus Buckfield Junior-Senior High school.

Superintendent Craig King said some of the factors fueling the increase include maintaining 11 buildings, contractual obligations of nearly $1 million, and an $87,000 decrease in entitlement funds for the special education program.

The state is expected to provide 50 percent of the budget; the towns would pay 45 percent of the total; and miscellaneous income, such as tuition from out-of-district students, and carryover, would pay the remaining 5 percent.

“We won’t have the carryover numbers (next year) we see tonight,” King said. “These figures are derived from frugality.

“We may get some grants to help, but we won’t know until July or August,” King said.

A second public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Buckfield Junior-Senior High School.

A district budget meeting and vote will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, at Mountain Valley High School.