SAD 67 approves $8.7 million budget

LINCOLN – SAD 67 voters approved an $8.7 million school budget during Tuesday’s daylong referendum vote.

The voter turnout was very low in the school district towns of Chester, Lincoln and Mattawamkeag. Only 22 people went to the polls in Chester. The town has 423 registered voters. Lincoln has about 3,500 registered voters, but only 232 went to the polls. Only 33 Mattawamkeag voters went to the polls. The town has more than 600 registered voters.

Chester voters opposed the school budget. Residents defeated 10 of the budget questions and had a tie vote on four.

Lincoln and Mattawamkeag voters approved all 14 budget questions by at least a 2 to 1 margin.

The school budget of $8,793,390.83 represents an increase of $433,117.57, or 5.18 percent compared with last year. The amount to be raised from local taxes is $4,007,836.11, an increase of $434,153.39, or 12.15 percent.

Approved school assessments are: Chester, $504,987.35, an increase of $74,715.95; Mattawamkeag, $371,526.41, an increase of $22,020.24; and Lincoln, $3,131,322.35, an increase of $337,417.20. Two teaching positions will be cut, one as the result of a retirement and the other because of smaller class sizes. Half of the facilities coordinator position will be cut. The current coordinator will work on a per diem basis four weeks in the summer and from November 1 to May 1.

The budget has money to pay for higher health care, electricity and fuel costs and for pay increases. Negotiated salary increases for teachers, bus drivers, support staff and custodians average between 3 and 4 percent. Administrators will receive a 2.5 percent pay increase.

The school district will purchase fewer textbooks and will do fewer of the projects in its five-year maintenance plan.