$15.4M SAD 46 budget set for Tuesday’s referendum

DEXTER — A proposed $15,389,287 SAD 46 budget for the 2020-21 academic year was approved at the annual district meeting on July 9 at the Ridge View Community School. The spending package total will now go to a referendum in the towns of Dexter, Exeter, Garland and Ripley on Tuesday, July 14 with residents of the four communities voting either “yes” or “no” to make a district-wide decision.

Tuesday’s referendum schedule is 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Ridge View for Dexter residents and the Exeter and Garland town offices for these respective residents. In Ripley voters can stop by the Courser Memorial School from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“That budget in a year to year comparison of the bottom line is up $838,981 or 5.76%,” Superintendent Kevin Jordan said at the start of the meeting in the gymnasium with about 30 voters in attendance.

“We have also taken advantage of our increase in revenues,” he said. Jordan explained $493,860 would be in the balance carried forward (compared to $0 a year ago); state subsidy has gone up by nearly $330,000 to $10.9 million-plus, Mainecare reimbursement has increased by $100,000 to $175,000 and the amount of local required monies has decreased by $44,430 to $2,968,386.

“Our net increase in revenues in those categories is about $878,600,” he said.

“We have taken advantage of that with about $100,000 in needed repairs,” the superintendent said. These fixes include the academic wing bathrooms, academic wing roof and locker room windows at Dexter Regional High School and Ridge View window repairs and brick work.

“Those are one-time costs for us that we have in the budget this year,” Jordan said.

“Due to the increase in revenues in the total budget you will be voting on tonight, the total taxes for local communities is down $101,192 or 3.002%,” he said.

Between local required monies, the local option, food service, local only debt service and adult education, the four SAD 4 communities have a proposed 2020-21 combined assessment of $3,269,495 (down by nearly $101,200 from the previous academic year).

“In the proposed draft budget tonight the assessment of Dexter will go down $73,603 or 3.628%,” Jordan said for a figure of $1,955,119.

Jordan then went over the other three proportional community shares, which are all reduced from 2019-20. Exeter’s $570,618 assessment is down by $5,731 (0.994%), Garland would see a $20,828 (4.492%) decrease to $442,830 and for Ripley its share is $1,031 (0.342%) less for a figure of $300,926.

The superintendent mentioned per pupil costs, saying in 2018-19 this figure was $10,693 in the district. Jordan said the state average then was $12,442, so SAD 46 spent less than 200 out of 250 Maine districts/schools.

“I think those are important numbers for people to understand,” he said.

The near $15.4 million 2020-21 budget figure was approved across 20 warrant articles with minimal discussion over 15 minutes by the 30-plus residents in attendance. The warrant included items such as the budget total and local option monies which was approved by written ballot.