SAD 4 board approves $8.5M 2023-24 budget

Annual district meeting set for May 24 

GUILFORD — The SAD 4 school board approved a proposed 2023-24 budget totaling $8,473,000, with a combined $4,492,377 local assessment between the six district communities, during a meeting on April 11 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School.

The near $8.5 budget is up by $700,880 (approximately 9 percent) from the current academic year’s $7,772,120 total. The near $4.5million-plus in local assessments, consisting of local required and local additional monies along with SAD 4’s proportional share of the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative budget, is $748,613 more than that of $3,743,763 for 2022-23

The $4,492,377 being asked of the six SAD 4 communities is comprised of $2,935,299 in local required monies, $1,507,363 in local additional monies, and the district’s $49,715 for the PVAEC.

Each community has a proportional local required figure, additional local amount and costs for the PVAEC. All six towns would see an increased assessment.

Abbot would have a $147,753 (20.37 percent) increase to $873,190; Cambridge’s $306,735 share is up $62,674 (25.68 percent); Guilford’s share is $1,246,766, up by $173,130 (16.13 percent); Parkman would have a $143,421 (19.69 percent) increase to $871,910; Sangerville’s $946,547 share is up $180,832 (23.62 percent); and Wellington’s $247,227 assessment represents a $40,800 (19.76 percent) increase from 2022-23.

The state allocation for SAD 4 is down by $73,291 (2.4 percent) to $2,990,537 from $3 million-plus.

The annual district budget meeting will start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24 in the PCES cafeteria, with an information meeting before at 6:30 p.m.

The total figure approved across the warrant articles that evening will be moved to a referendum vote on Tuesday, June 13 at the respective polling places in Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville, and Wellington.