Draft SAD 15 Budget: 4.75% increase
By Elizabeth Prata

Gray--The SAD 15 Board of Directors were delivered a 5 inch thick binder at last Wednesday night's Board meeting, the District's draft budget for Fiscal Year 2005-06. The proposed increase is 4.75% over last year.

The budget was compiled by the Administrative team and the SAD Board's Finance Committee. Last November, the Board directed the Finance Committee to create a budget that reflected total fixed cost budget increases, basic needs, and did not exceed 5% over last year's budget.

At the Joint Leaders meeting last Wednesday morning, SAD 15 Business and Finance Director Terry Towle explained that fixed costs are items such as oil, electricity, fuel, and also mandated items such as a Gifted and Talented teacher. The District is mandated by law to have certain programs in place by certain deadlines, and with the Gifted/Talented personnel deadline approaching, the position is one of those costs that cannot be avoided, Mr. Towle explained.

Additionally, the development of the budget itself has been improved. Format changes made this year include special education costs directly allocated to cost centers that are found in the individual cost center, each dollar in every account has an explanation and description, staffing sheets are included in the draft manual budget, and an object code allowing reports to be run that show trending over time and expenditure comparisons.

Board Chair Alan Rich explained at the Joint Leaders meeting that the average SAD 15 budget increase has been 35 over the last three years. He said that the budget process and presentation is vastly improved over he 'dark days' ten years ago when it was easier to move money from account to account. He said that over the last five years the Board has dedicated itself to bringing clarity and specificity to the budget and that now every last pencil is accounted for.

In December, the District Improvement Committee (DIC) presented their recommendations for new programs and personnel. One of the top ranked recommendations was for an Assistant Principal at the High School. That would cost approximately $82,920. The second ranked recommendation the DIC made was for a High School Literacy position, estimated cost of $53,121.

There were eight recommendations in all for personnel and programs, including another recommendation that an All Day Kindergarten, estimated cost of $195,923, a Substance Abuse counselor, Special Education team leaders, a Pupil Evaluation team coordinator, a Pupil Evaluation Team Secretary, Foreign language teacher, and another grade 2 teacher. None of these recommendations are in the draft budget now.

The Citizen-composed Budget Advisory Committee will review the draft budget at meetings which are open to the public, and the SAD 15 Board will schedule public hearing at regularly scheduled meeting and invite public comment. The Board members will also go on the road to make presentations at an upcoming New Gloucester Selectmen meeting and a Gray Town Council meeting.