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	Budget & School Committee Minutes, May 10, 2021

Chair Merle Bragdon called the meeting to order at 6:32 PM.

Present at the Town Hall were:  Administrative Assistant Stu Marckoon, School Committee Chair Brett Jones, School Superintendent, Budget Committee Member Tiffany McMullen.  Present via zoom were:  Budget Committee members Mark Harris, Merle Bragdon, Greg Hiltz, Robin Veysey; School Principal Dawn McPhail, School Committee Member Bob Pulver, and Special Education Director Adam Rabasca.

Minutes – December 14, 2020 – Mark & Robin pointed out two spelling errors.  Mark moved to accept as corrected.  Robin 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 5-0.

Education Budget – Superintendent Katrina Kane said she appreciates the incredible job that the school staff has done since the pandemic hit just over a year ago.  She said the students who have wanted to attend in person classes have been able to.  She said the townspeople have been very supportive and the entire school appreciates that.

Superintendent Kane said there are three documents in the school packet.  The first page details the major budget changes, the 2^nd page is the big picture tally, and the rest is detail that is there for backup.  She said the Special Education Director is present.  She said the town shares him with the Town of Hancock and with the high school students.  She said that Principal McPhail is also present.

Superintendent Kane highlighted the budget, including:

• An additional middle level teacher due to increased enrollment.  There will be a long term need for that position.  Lamoine is one of the highest performing schools in the county thanks to relatively small class sizes.
• A decrease in in high school tuition thanks to a small 8^th grade class and a large graduating 12^th grade class.  Merle asked about which schools the high school students attend.  Superintendent Kane said 47 go to MDI, 12 to Ellsworth, 3 to George Stevens, and one at John Bapst, while some are home schooled. Brett noted that the former surcharged from MDI is no longer charged as that has finished.
• The special education budget changed this year because of a shared speech teacher who was on the low end of the pay scale who left and was replaced by a highly qualified teacher.   Mr. Rabasca said she’s great with the students.  Merle asked if there was a reserve for special education.  Superintendent Kane said there was as well as for maintenance and tuition.
• There is a reduction in guidance costs under student and staff services.  She said the school is not employing a nurse right now, as there has been no need, so that has been eliminated from the budget.
• The cost for System Administration is up thanks to legal and audit costs.  She said the legal costs have to do with transportation.  Tiffany asked if that was in addition to the 10% increase in transportation.  Superintendent Kane explained.
• Transportation costs are up as Lamoine has started a cooperative with Bucksport, Orrington and Hancock in regard to school busing.  She said First Student had proposed a 13% contract increase.  She said by getting our own buses and working with other schools through an inter-local agreement, the town will save money. She said some additional subsidy is expected, the town will keep the same bus drivers, utilize the same bus spaces.  She said there is some cost to develop the agreements with the other schools.   
• Tiffany asked about the auditing increase.  Superintendent Kane said that goes up annually, and the inter-local agreement accounting will cost more.   She noted that all the members of the cooperative were served by First Student.
• The increase in school administration is just a salaries and benefits increase.
• In addition to the matters discussed above, the student transportation budget will involve purchase of a used bus to use as a spare.  State subsidy is a year behind, so there is a prediction of a significant savings down the road.  The bus will be purchased through the state lease/purchase system and the town will own the buses after 5-years.  Merle noted that First Student would have continued with budget increases.  Stu asked if there would be a transportation supervisor for the cooperative.  Superintendent Kane said that was correct, and the drivers would have better benefits.  Brett noted that the buildings First Student used would be leased to the cooperative. He called it a comfortable arrangement.
• Facilities Maintenance has no significant change.  There will be some minor roof repairs.  It was noted the school has worked with Oak Point Associates in the past year on renovations and possible community center.  Merle noted a new portable classroom at the school and asked if it’s time to consider an addition.  Superintendent Kane answer yes.  She said the facility is in pretty good shape, but short on space, especially in the Gym and pre-K areas.  She said the portable classroom and another one that is in the works, were purchased with COVID-19 relief funds.  She said there could be a renovation project, and the town could sell the portables down the road.   She noted that the school census shot up from 100 to 120 after withdrawal from RSU 24, and the potential for increases is there as Lamoine is a very desirable school.  Mr. Jones noted a consultant is working directly in relation to that question. 
• Food Service is decreasing.  The town receives federal funds, and there will still be free breakfast or lunch.
• The total school budget is up 3.24%.
• Revenue from EPS is up slightly to $94,901.38. 

There were no further questions regarding the school budget.  After a brief discussion Mark moved to recommend the budget as proposed.  Robin 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 5-0.

Article 16 – Superintendent Kane explained that the school department can transfer between cost centers up to 5% under state law, but cannot overspend the whole budget.  She said the language in this article was first included last year and will give more flexibility to shifting costs during the school year without having to call a special town meeting.

Administration Budget – Revisited – Stu reported that the Selectmen had agreed to a new 3-year contract with him with a substantial raise.  He said that would require a larger administration budget, and recommended the raise be offset with more funding from undesignated fund balance.  Robin so moved, Tiffany 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 5-0. (Note – the increase was $5,000 more than the original budget)

Transfer from Fund Balance – Robin moved to recommend passage of proposed article 2 which transfers money from fund balance to cover the “negative overlay” due to the error in the 2019 property tax commitment.   Mark 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 5-0.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:23 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Stu Marckoon, Secretary