On May 2, the RSU 40 Board of Directors voted to certify its 2024-2025 budget of $37,619,219 and send it to the five towns comprising the district. Those towns are Friendship, Union, Waldoboro, Warren and Washington.

The upcoming school year’s budget represents a 4.5% increase over last year’s budget of $35,999,253. Each town in the district faces a potential increase in their taxes.

Washington will see the largest increase at 8.9%, followed by Waldoboro at 8.1%, Friendship at 7.8%, Union at 7.5%, and finally Warren with the smallest assessment increase at 5.2% over the 2023-2024 budget.

At the May 2 meeting, RSU 40 School Board meeting, several board members voiced discontent with the overall budget while acknowledging their obligations to the community.

 “I want it minuted that I oppose this budget, but I have a responsibility as a board member to support the Board’s actions,” said Matthew Speno, of Union.

The Board moved through several budget-related agenda items, including the elimination of American Sign Language (ASL) instruction at Medomak Middle School (MMS) in favor of Spanish and establishing a Capital Reserve Fund for facility needs. 

Kristin Sims, science teacher at MMS, spoke during the public comment period “to advocate for a peer,” the part-time ASL instructor whose job will be eliminated under the proposed budget. 

Simms said she appreciated the consideration, thought, and conversation which had gone into the budget deliberations. However, the loss of the ASL teacher would negatively impact students. Learning ASL has helped their English language skills. Simms has seen how much students are engaged with the curriculum.

As the Board debated eliminating the part-time ASL teacher in favor of Spanish language, many members spoke of their personal relationships with ASL. 

Waldoboro’s Emily Trask-Eaton said her daughter learned some ASL 40 years ago and still uses that knowledge to this day. 

Warren’s Naomi Aho asked if there was a way to keep some type of of ASL instruction, with a volunteer teacher or perhaps as a club. 

Friendship’s Brooke Simmons said she still remembers the ASL alphabet and some words she learned in the second grade.

Warren’s Randy Kassa said his daughter is a sign language interpreter whose services are frequently in demand.

“I wish it [ASL education] had been available when I was young,” Kassa said. 

Friendship’s Joseph Henry recalled when his two-year-old son was taught some signs and moved from just pointing at things to using words. Teaching sign ASL “makes sense” and is practical, he said. 

Assistant Superintendent Christina Wotten spoke to remind the Board this decision had been made because the learning and curriculum committees ultimately agreed it was in students’ best interests to provide “continuity” in language education by offering Spanish for all grades K-12. Currently, Spanish is taught in the elementary schools and at Medomak Valley High School, leaving an education gap for middle school students. 

The item passed with a weighted vote of 668 for and 332 against; no abstentions. 

The Board then moved quickly to the budget warrant. Henry asked if he had to vote for a budget he voted against at the previous meeting. Business Manager Karen Pike reported it needed a majority to pass and if it did not, the budget process would need to begin all over again and the district would be forced to use the 2023-2024 budget going forward.

The warrant passed 679-322; it was scheduled to be delivered to district towns Friday, May 3. (See attached PDF for complete warrant)

Several positions will be lost to attrition, including a social education technician at MVHS, teachers at MMS and Warren Community School, and the Miller School part-time music teacher.

The upcoming budget include a new item: a Capital Reserve Fund which would be funded by a transfer of up to $1,000,000 from available fund balances. Pike said that during COVID when the building were closed, the district built a fund balance. They district used those funds to decrease taxes assessments in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. As the balance wound down, the district discontinued using it to offset taxes. Pike would like to transfer some of the remaining $600,000 to this new Capital Reserve Fund for facilities issues.  

Several systems across the district have failed or are failing. Pike listed the examples of Union Elementary School’s roof, hot water system, and septic systems as all failing.

Pike went on to explain that with a reserve account, the Board could move without a taxpayer vote to appropriate additional money. A perspective project must still go through every step of the Board approval. That way, the district can act quickly instead of waiting for an election or attempting a special election, which costs the towns even more money. 

On Tuesday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m., the public is invited to attend the Budget Meeting at Medomak Valley High School, 320 Manktown Rd, Waldoboro. If approved, the budget will then be placed on the June 11, 2024 primary election ballot for a referendum decision.  

Board of Directors agendas, minutes and video recordings are available at RSU40.org.