The Winslow Town Council reviewed a revised school budget proposal Thursday, April 9, that now reflects a net reduction to the local tax request after district officials made more than $460,000 in cuts in response to council concerns over rising costs.
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Council Chairman Fran Hudson noted that, under council rules, the workshop format does not allow for public comment, with input reserved for the regular meeting held the following Monday.
Superintendent Peter Thiboutot addressed a question from Councilor Doris Labranche regarding whether federal revenues had been used to offset the local budget request. Thiboutot explained that federal education funds are governed by a “supplement, not supplant” rule, meaning they must be used to expand services rather than replace local funding.
He also confirmed that accumulated MaineCare reimbursements would be used to fund approximately $150,000 in steam pipe repairs at the elementary school this summer. A councilor raised concerns about how those funds are presented publicly, noting that while the expenditures are legitimate, they are not clearly reflected in the district’s operating budget documents. Thiboutot acknowledged the limitation, explaining that including those funds directly in the budget could negatively impact state subsidy calculations.
The original school budget proposal represented a 1.12 percent increase to the local tax appropriation. Following direction from the council to identify additional reductions, the district’s administrative team developed over $460,000 in cuts, focusing on deferred maintenance, unfilled positions, and program adjustments.
Key reductions included leaving a third grade teaching position unfilled, resulting in projected class sizes of 19 to 22 students, reducing the alternative education program contracted through Waterville, and cutting the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program line by $27,000. An anonymous donor has committed to covering the JMG funding for the current year.
Additional adjustments included reductions in supplies, technology upgrades, and other operational areas, as administrators sought to limit direct impacts to students where possible. Thiboutot noted that because approximately 80 percent of the school budget is tied to personnel, deeper reductions would increasingly affect staffing levels and educational programming.
After accounting for higher-than-anticipated insurance increases and personnel transfer costs, the revised proposal results in a net reduction to the local tax appropriation of $265,875, or a 2.88 percent decrease from the prior year. Combined with a reduction in the previous budget cycle, district officials stated that the school system has lowered its local tax request by roughly $500,000 over the past two years.
Council members acknowledged the effort to reduce the budget while raising concerns about the impact of specific cuts, particularly the third grade teaching position and the alternative education program. Several members also pointed to ongoing pressure from residents facing higher costs, while balancing the need to maintain school services.
Finance Director Sheri Carver projected a mil rate of 15.13, up from the current 14.85, if the budget is approved as proposed.
The council is scheduled to take a vote at its next regular meeting. Full coverage of that meeting will appear in next week’s edition. More discussion on long-term budget pressures and service levels is anticipated in upcoming meetings.
The next regular council meeting will be held May 11 at 6 p.m.
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by William Paquet
