By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — Last Monday night, School Administrative District (SAD) 61 Superintendent Al Smith was on the go, having scheduled presentations of the proposed school budget to the towns of Casco and Naples within a half hour of one another.

In Casco, the members of the Finance Committee met for the first time, having received their budget books a week earlier. This year, the Casco Select Board will sit in on all the budget meetings. Therefore, both groups were present for Smith’s school budget overview.

Meanwhile in Naples, the months-long budget process was wrapping up Monday night with both the Naples Budget Committee and the Naples Select Board sitting at the table. In fact, the select board voted, 5-0, to approve the proposed budget later that evening.

Superintendent Smith did his first presentation in Casco. Afterwards, he opened the floor for questions.

Finance Committee Chair Sue Witonis asked about the town having more representation and input during the actual budget process. 

“A question has come up: Why doesn’t the finance committee of the school have a representative from town municipalities, such as the town manager? . . .  There has never been any input from the town about what we get at the end of the year as a bill,” Witonis said.

Smith was agreeable to the idea.

“If you want to have a person who would sit in on the meetings. If you have somebody you would like to appoint to sit in on those meetings. If they have a busy schedule and can’t make meetings, then somebody to meet with myself or the head of the finance committee. I would be willing to meet with anybody around your concerns,” Smith said.

Witonis reiterated how important it is that the town should have some kind of representation during the formation of the school budget.

“It would be a matter of letting me know who that person would be and then I would work with them and their timeframes,” Smith said.

Finance Committee Vice-Chair Tom Mulkern asked for an explanation of out-of-district placement services.

“The out-of-district placement has significantly increased. That’s our student special education population,” Smith said. “We are in a place where we can no longer provide support for them in the school district. Things are becoming more and more challenging. That’s another area that didn’t help us support the budget. We had a huge increase. I budgeted $800,00 but it was around $1.1 or $1.2 million this year.”

Mulkern asked if SAD 61 needs a special ed facility to address this issue.

“We’ve talked about that. The problem is the student population is so diverse that we’re not sure how to do it. The other problem is a building,” Smith answered.

Tom McCarthy asked a question pertaining to a topic that has been in the news recently. He asked what the financial impact might be since the federal government found Maine in violation of Title 9.

Smith said he had a meeting with the Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin to get brought up to speed on the ramifications.

“I am hoping adults will sit down at table and have a discussion before it spirals out of control,” Smith said. 

There will no impact this school year, he said.

“I’m looking at 12 to 13 positions that we pay for out of federal funds. It won’t effect this year because the money is already there,” he said.

“Next year, there would be 12 to 13 positions at risk [such as] support teachers in math and language arts, key positions in the schools,” Smith said, adding, “I am trying not to look too far down the line.”

Finance Committee member Carol Drew asked how many students are housed in portables at the Lake Region High School.

Smith answered that the entire freshman class, which is about 130 students, meets in portable as well as students from the alternative education and the adult education programs. The total number is 150, or approximately 25% of the student body population.

“It is a significant number — 150 students. I don’t want you to think it is not a reasonable place for kids to get an education,” Smith said.

Select Board member Grant Plummer talked about the importance in keeping on top of renovations before

“I am hoping we are looking at an alternative plan to get that work done. This thing can’t add up to a $100 million problem or $200 million problem We need to grab that low hanging fruit,” Plummer said

Smith said that one of the school board members suggested reducing maintenance fees in order to keep other items in budget.

“That is short sighted. We have things that have to be maintained and brought up to another level. We are looking at a decent renovation this year for Songo Locks [School] and the front side of Stevens Brook [Elementary School]. Obviously, Crooked River [Elementary School] is in good shape,” he said.

“I hope I answered you all your questions. Sometimes, it is like an interview and you drive away thinking, ‘I should have said this or said that,’” he said.

Less than an hour later, Smith provided the same presentation to Naples officials.

Chairman of the Select Board Ted Shane had a series of clarification.

TS:

“I am at the school a lot. The lawn mower equipment in rough shape,” he said.

Smith said that two lawn mowers are coming to the maintenance department.

Shane asked which score board is being replaced. He was told the football field score board.

“Good idea. It’s half lit and you never know what the score is,” Shane said. “It says the HR [human resources] manager has been reduced. Has it been reduced or removed?”

That position has been removed, Smith said.

Another position the Dean of Students at the Lake Region Middle School has been eliminated. That drew the attention of Naples residents.

“As you know I was a big proponent of the school resource officer (SRO). I don’t want it to go to polls,” Shane said, adding he was glad to see the SRO included in the budget.

“You are keeping the dean of students at the high school and removing the one at the middle school. I go to the middle school. Guy has done a great job on discipline,” Shane said.

“A lot of kids at your high school still don’t know who the dean of students is. Every kid at the middle school knows who the dean of students is. He is there in the morning, greeting them as they get off the bus. Personally, I think there should be flip-flop there,” Shane said.

Michelle Thibodeau, the Naples town clerk who is also a mom, agreed with Shane.

“I am happy to hear the SRO is in the budget,” she said.

“You are removing the dean [at the middle school]. The dean has done a wonderful job. He is at the kids’ sporting events. He helps the kids out of cars and on and off the buses,” Thibodeau said. 

Smith explained that the dean of students at the high school has a very involved role, particularly with depression among students. There is a new assistant principal at the high school so the dean is a familiar face.

“Don’t think I took this lightly, making this adjustment,” Smith said.

He commented that returning that position to the budget would push upward what each town owes for the school budget.