SAD 17 district budget is overwhelmingly approved

PARIS — Voters overwhelmingly approved the $35.1  million SAD 17 budget during Tuesday's validation referendum.

A whopping 1,695 voted "yes" on the budget question and 859 voted "no."

The budget is increasing 1.48 percent – $511,811 –  but requires a 6 percent, or $964,339 increase in local assessments from last year to cover a decrease in state and federal funding.

The budget includes implementing a shared schools model for Waterford and Harrison, a shared principal between Oxford and Otisfield and the cost for hiring an Assistant Special Education Director.

SAD 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts says the plan to share schools will save the district $95,000.

The shared schools model has been met with opposition, particularly from Harrison parents.

Sharing schools would mean that Waterford Memorial School would take all Kindergarten through second grade students, while Harrison School would house grades three through six.

At a public hearing and vote on the budget on June 7, parents questioned the plan on the basis that it would have a negative impact on children's health and academic achievement and would considerably increase family transportation costs.

Barry Patrie, a member of the budget committee from Waterford, expressed his sympathy for parents but defended the budget.

"Obviously, we would like to do everything that we can to make every parent satisfied, but ... we have to work with the funds and the facilities that we have to best serve the student," he said.

Colpitts said that many other students in the district already move schools in grades five and six.

"It's not something that the board really likes," Colpitts said, "but it is something we were forced to do as the budget money became very tight and we had to make the most efficient use of our spaces."

Photo: Peter L. McGuire

APPROVED — Voters overwhelmingly approve the $35 million SAD 17 budget at a preliminary vote on June 7.