POLAND — The Regional School Unit 16 board of directors approved the 2024 fiscal year budget of $27.58 million with a single dissenter.

Minot representative Steve Holbrook voted against its passage.

Holbrook earlier made a motion to cut $300,000 across the board from the proposed budget, but it was not seconded.

Chairwoman Mary Martin said if the lesser amount had passed, school administrators would then have made the needed adjustments.

The budget is $1.7 million more — a 6.56% increase — than this fiscal year’s budget of almost $25.9 million. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

The property tax increase on a $100,000 home in Poland would be $60, and $63.93 on that home in Minot (correcting the administration’s previously announced figure of $93.63).

No figures were available for Mechanic Falls because of an ongoing property revaluation.

Assistant Superintendent Amy Hediger listed several reasons for the increase, including the need to respond to a teacher shortage; the need to make class sizes more equitable across the three elementary schools; the need to respond to a bus driver shortage; increased salaries due to negotiations; needed maintenance on the district’s aging school buildings; and inflation.

RSU 16 Business Manager Stacie Field said the three towns will have to raise an additional $428,350 in local revenue because of higher town valuations according to a state formula.

Total local revenue to be raised by taxes for the new budget is $12.2 million.

Poland ‘s share is 62.6%, Minot is 20.2%, and Mechanic Falls is 17.2%.

The district will apply $1.5 million from its fund balance toward the budget.

A public budget meeting is slated for Tuesday, May 23, at Poland Regional High School when residents from the three towns will gather to vote on 19 warrant articles dealing with the budget. People will be able to ask questions about the budget at that meeting.

On June 13, voters will decide on the budget in a ballot referendum.