TOPSHAM — Voters in School Administrative District 75 will gather next week to cast the first of two votes on the district’s fiscal 2011 budget.

The nearly $34.8 million spending plan will be decided at a district budget meeting at the Orion Performing Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27. A budget validation referendum is scheduled for Tuesday, June 8.

The proposed budget for next year is $1.47 million smaller than the current spending plan. Revenues have dropped $1.72 million, including a state subsidy reduction of $1.46 million.

A $219,000 payment from Harpswell to keep the West Harpswell School open is helping to offset that shortfall. This amount, along with $35,000 in fund balance transfers, brings the net revenue loss to $1.47 million.

Next year’s local assessment from SAD 75’s four towns is $18.72 million, a decrease of nearly $233,000, or 1.23 percent. Only Harpswell, though, would see its share decline – to $6.83 million, a reduction of 8.85 percent.

Topsham’s contribution would increase 4.82 percent to $7.57 million. Bowdoin would see an increase of 1.14 percent to total $2.05 million, and Bowdoinham an increase of 2.66 percent to $2.28 million.

Positions to be eliminated include a bus driver and transportation aide; four custodians and a maintenance job; 1.3 principal positions; five elementary and 2.75 middle school teacher positions; six elementary KinderStart educational technicians; two social worker and one occupational therapist positions; one high school guidance job and 6.5 special education teacher jobs.

Among new positions are six kindergarten teachers, an elementary technology integrator, 5.5 Response to Intervention learning strategists and an autism consulting teacher.

Alex Lear can be reached at 373-9060 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net.


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