Peril of school cuts aired in Millinocket

MILLINOCKET – School officials say a $786,474 budget cut will change the Millinocket school department forever.

The school board called Tuesday’s special meeting to outline the implications of the cuts to members of the Town Council and to find out how serious councilors were about a 10 percent budget cut.

Earlier, members of the Town Council asked for a 10 percent cut in both municipal and school budgets. The cut for the school is $341,736, but that number more than doubles when combined with $111,559 in lower revenues and $333,179 in rising costs, primarily for contractual pay increases and health insurance.

Superintendent Brent Colbry said every area of school operations would be affected by the cut requested by the council. “If we are held to this level of reduction, your school system will never be the same again,” said Colbry. “What we have to do to achieve this [cut], you are not going to recover from.”

Pointing to a status quo budget, Colbry said three teaching positions were eliminated. He expects 10 teachers will retire this year. Seven of those positions will be filled with younger teachers, who would be paid less than those who are retiring.

Colbry said cuts would affect between eight and 12 teaching positions along with several other positions. He said student-teacher ratios would increase and the school would offer fewer specialty programs.

He said even if 15 to 20 percent of the 77-member teaching staff were cut, the school department would still fall short of meeting the $786,474 target cut by between $130,000 and $140,000.

Colbry said it was important the council give the school board direction because the uncertainty was forcing a number of staff members to look elsewhere for jobs. He said this was unlike any other year. He said many people were within weeks of making decisions about seeking other jobs or moving their families elsewhere.

Councilors said they felt bad, but told the school board to proceed with budget cuts.

Councilor Matt Polstein said there was only one solution to the problem and that was to consolidate area schools, but the solution was not totally within Millinocket’s control. He said the quality of education in Millinocket, East Millinocket and Medway would plummet. “If we don’t get participation from our neighbors, I don’t see how we can save this school system and do the things that the taxpayers and the mill want us to do,” he said.

Earlier in the meeting, school officials talked about sharing a superintendent with School Union 113 (East Millinocket, Medway and Woodville). Board members said they were interested in sharing a superintendent, who ultimately would lead them in consolidating area schools, otherwise, they may be better off to hire their own interim superintendent for one year.

The school board will hold budget workshops Monday, April 28, Tuesday, May 6, and Monday, May 12. Officials expect to complete budget proposal within three weeks.