ROCKLAND — At an RSU 13 budget meeting Monday, April 28, at the McClain School in Rockland, the school board struggled to fund budget cuts to try and make the finances work. The board debated cutting 11 positions within the school system, as well as saving money by purchasing only one new bus. They also talked about doing away with the business manager’s position, and placing an accountant in that office.

And, they considered cutting coaching positions for Junior Varsity boys and girls golf and tennis.

RSU 13 Interim Superintendent Mike Wilhelm said he worked closely with administrators from the different schools to come up with positions that could be cut. The board will vote on those cuts Thursday evening, May 1.

The proposed budget is $27.7 million dollars, approximately $300,000 over the current budget, an increase that translates to increased taxes for the district and local taxpayers.

Looming over the budget is an estimated $500,000 in associated wage increase costs.

The board talked about proposed staff position cuts, including a high school industrial technology position for grades five through seven and two world language positions.

The board considered filling the soon-to-be-vacated Oceanside High School principal position with an existing administrator, as well as eliminating two library media positions, not filling the first semester leave of a English language arts teacher, eliminating the social work position at South School, eliminating the industrial technology educational tech position, eliminating one administrative position at Oceanside West and eliminating one educational technician at Oceanside West library.

Steve Roberts and Sally Carleton both opposed cutting the industrial technology position based on sentimental reasons. Roberts cited his own experience with industrial arts and what he learned and has retained all his life from the program. Sally Carleton said she remembered buying tables and shelves from students when she held a teaching position.  

Board members Loren Andrews, Carleton, Marla McGeady and George Emory opposed cutting the two librarian positions, foreign language positions and the middle school industrial technology position. Roberts said he would support all cuts.

Tess Kilgour suggested that Wilhelm return to the board Thursday with his recommendations for the cuts and that the board accept them.

“This is not my budget, this is not the administrators budget,” said Wilhelm. “This is your budget. In the end I’m not going to be here. Somebody else is going to be here, but you’re all going to be here. You’re the ones who have to be able to justify this budget. Not the superintendent, not the administrators, and this is why the process goes this way. You’re the ones who need to make the decisions about what stays and what goes.”

Wilhelm will take the cuts to the public at Lura Libby School in Thomaston on Wednesday, April 30, before reporting back to the board on the public’s input at the RSU 13 board meeting on Thursday night at 6 p.m. at the McClain School.