By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

More than 20 residents from Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel pleaded to save programs and teachers Monday at the RSU 21 School Board meeting.

Board members originally considered $1.8 million in district-wide cuts.

 Following public comments the board passed a motion to restore $600,000 to the school budget, bringing the estimated reduction to $1.2 million less than last year.

Superintendent Andrew Dolloff said that the restoration of the additional money would allow the district to make cuts without as much effect on student education.

Other discussion involving what the additional money will save off the cut list and what will happen to local taxes has yet to be determined and nothing has been set by the finance committee or the board as far as a concrete budget.

 “The decisions are based on data, not opinions or feelings. Staffing changes are in line with student counts, except where we made special decisions,” said John Sharood, school board member and finance committee chairman.

More than 100 people showed up for the first public hearing on proposed cuts to the $34.6 million district budget. The cuts would eliminate the equivalent of 23.5 teaching and staff positions and programs, including drama classes.

The budget cut is significantly less than the $2.6 million cut first proposed by the finance committee a week ago.

Sharood said $800,000 of the revision is due to carry-overs of unspent money from last year’s school budget as well as a lower than anticipated state property valuation used to calculate state aid.

As a result, the elementary-level foreign language program, high school freshmen sports and Day One substance abuse program in both the middle school and high school were removed from the list of programs to be cut.

But that reprieve may not be the last. Next year continued state subsidy cuts will force the district to trim the budget $800,000 and more, according to Sharood.

 “The cuts cannot be continued next year. In order to achieve the tax-saving goal we need to make significant structural changes, specifically looking at every single building and the Thornton (Academy) Middle School relationship,” Sharood said. “You cannot repeat this kind of programmatic changes without causing harm to education.”

School board members have set a four-year average tax increase goal of at or below 3 percent.

Sharood said the tax increase would have a significant impact on Arundel homeowners. Sharood’s estimates made before the board requested a budget with an additional $600,000 show an average home costing $200,000 in Arundel will face a $353 or 13 percent tax increase. 

Part of Arundel’s tax increase comes from an incorrect assessment last year, when the town’s portion of school taxes dropped 9 percent.

That decrease was based on an incorrect calculation that understated the town’s share of school costs by $233,000, according to Sharood. The shortfall will be recouped in the next fiscal year’s tax bills.

Kennebunk homeowners would face an $85 or 2.4 percent increase on an average home valued at $250,000, and Kennebunkport would see a decrease of $43 or 1.7 percent increase on a $400,000 home.

“It’s not ideal and that’s the situation we’re in. There are things still on this cut list that hurt kids,” Dolloff said.

The school board and administration cautioned they were concerned any greater tax increase would leave some residents in tough situations, but during Monday’s meeting many residents spoke in favor of increasing taxes to save programs.

“Here’s my $100. Will you have the courage and conviction to ask me for it?” Matt Fadiman of Kennebunk asked, waving a $100 bill.

Reductions in staff and services in the district are in part due to reduced state payments toward the district’s school construction debt.

“(The state’s) intention is not to pay that debt service, it’s a dramatic impact,” said Sharood. “If it matters to you make it matter to them and I’m sure it matters to our kids.”

One subject that mattered to students at the meeting was the drama program. Six high school students stood up to speak about saving the department. Parents said they had seen positive changes, including increased confidence in students who participated in the theater program.

“If you cut this program, so many kids will be left behind,” said Hannah Eastman, a senior at Kennebunk High School.

Eastman said students at the high school created a Facebook group to save the drama program and that it had attracted more than 1,000 members.

Some parents spoke against cutting an afternoon bus route, which would make after-school programs only available to those who could find a ride home.  Other parents noted a lack of cuts to sport programs.

“These are difficult times but this is what democracy looks like. There is almost no impact to sports. In fairness if there are going to be cuts, they should be shared,” said John Costin of Kennebunk.

The next public input and school board budget meeting will be Monday, March 15.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.