First steps taken in the RSU 68 budget process
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
DOVER-FOXCROFT — The calendar year may not yet be finished, but work on the 2016-17 RSU 68 budget has started. “That process really has already begun, the administrators have asked staff for their requests and their needs,” Superintendent Robert Lucy said during a Dec. 8 school board meeting.
He said a budget preparation calendar has requisition requests being due in early January and meetings with administrators will start later next month. The finance committee will have its first meeting on Jan. 26.
In late February, “We will try to put together an initial draft of the budget for the fiscal year 2017,” Lucy said. He said at its April meeting, the school board could adopt a preliminary spending plan. From there the district budget meeting would be on May 31 and then the ensuing referendum would take place on June 14.
Lucy said the goal is “to balance the needs of our school system while being fiscally responsible to our taxpayers.”
Before the meeting, RSU 68 directors met with auditor Roger Lebreux from Runyon Kersteen Ouellette of South Portland. “We are in good financial shape, very good financial shape,” School Board Chair Rick Johnston said.
In other business, Director of Special Services Sue Watson said, We are no longer using walkie talkies in the building. Again, we leveraged federal funds, so not a penny came out of this district.”
She thanked Technology Coordinator David Bridges for setting up a Wi-Fi system enabling special services staff to communicate via an iPad app. “As long as the network’s working, it’s not a problem,” Watson said.
She explained the walkie talkies have battery costs of about $1,000 annually, and the devices did not work in the entire SeDoMoCha School complex. The walkie talkie, which are being kept as a back up to the online communication system, verbal communication also had the potential to disrupt the classroom, which should be avoided through the app.
SeDoMoCha School Principal Julie Kimball said the Builders Club recently raised over $3,000 through its Miracle Tree Event, benefitting the Dover-Foxcroft Area Food Cupboard, Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis backpack program and the backpack program in SAD 4. Kimball praised Club Adviser Heather Whitten, saying, “She is the perfect person for that,” in terms of getting the Builders Club involved in the community.
Kimball said a middle school concert was scheduled for Dec. 10 and the grade 2-4 musicians would be performing on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.
Music teachers Alecia Griffin and Kaitlin Young “do a phenomenal job with our kids,” Kimball said.
Board Vice Chair said the chorus has 92 students participating. Watson said when this ensemble was started by Young several years ago, the chorus had just three members.
Lucy reported that grade 5 English/language arts teacher Diane Robinson had submitted a letter indicating she plans to retire at the end of the current academic year after 35 years of educating. “We certainly appreciate her dedication and commitment to our school community,” Lucy said.