FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 will hold a districtwide vote on the $33.89 million budget at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, in the Bjorn Auditorium at Mt. Blue Campus.

The 2017-18 budget approved then will go to voters in each of the 10 district towns for validation referendum on June 13.

The proposed spending plan represents a 3.51 percent, or $1.14 million increase over the current budget.

Voters will also consider appropriating $420,991 for adult education and raising $167,724 as the local share.

The district still doesn’t know how much additional revenue it will receive because the Legislature has not set a budget.  

If the Legislature puts back 50 percent of system administration, it means $500,000 more in anticipated revenue, Superintendent Tom Ward said. The governor’s budget proposal removed it from the state’s funding formula. The district could also receive more money if General Purpose Aid to Education is increased. 

All towns will see an increased tax assessment if the budget passes as is.

The district towns are Farmington, Wilton, Starks, Industry, Chesterville, New Sharon, Weld, Temple, Vienna and New Vineyard.

Ward’s goal has been to have no increase in assessment.

The school board has included an article on the warrant that would allow the district, if more state funding becomes available, to use all or part of it to:

• Increase expenditures for school purposes in cost center categories approved by the board;

• Increase the allocation in a reserve fund approved by the board;

• Increase the allocation in a reserve fund; or

• Lower tax assessments for the towns.

The budget includes $54,992 to increase American Sign Language and science teaching positions to full-time at Mt. Blue Campus; $49,402 to increase hours for education technicians in the adaptive skills programs; and $293,888 to cover 17 educational technicians added to the special education program during this school year. They were not included in the 2016-17 budget because of unexpected needs that arose in the special education program during the school year.

The district covered most of the expenses by using all of its contingency funds and decreasing other expenses, including freezing the budget in December.

Also included in the budget is $204,027 for three social workers for general education students in grades prekindergarten to 12. 

Decreases include $20,000 for the International Student Program at the high school, $1,292 for the athletic coordinator at the middle school, $10,460 for copier lease; and $9,000 for equipment purchases.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net