ROCKLAND — Rockland City Hall will be the location of a special meeting conducted by the RSU 13 school board Wednesday, July 1, at 5:30 p.m. Members of the school board extended invitations to officials within the school district municipalities to provide input as to how the fiscal year 2016 budget should look.

This is not an official meeting of the Rockland City Council. Members of the council will attend, but only as participants, according to Rockland City Manager James Chaousis II.

A June 9 referendum vote regarding the school district budget of $25 million was vetoed by citizens, leaving school board members to restart the budget adoption process.

“Our municipal officials are not educators but we can provide plenty of insight to the economic constrictions of Rockland taxpayers,” Chaousis said, in a email. “Budget adoption is always a deliberative process.... With the City budget complete, City officials will have more time to participate in the school budgeting process. 

“The public spoke loudly that the last proposal was not satisfactory. With the value of local education, a reasonable budget is surely within reach.”

A similar meeting, posted on the RSU 13 website, is an “open invitation for all municipal leaders in member towns in RSU 13 to attend a Summit on Our Schools, August 22, at a place and time to be determined, and join with us in visioning the "Schools of Our Future."

“If, as a community leader, you would like to be part of this initiative, and work with us to make our schools and communities stronger, please contact the Office of the Superintendent and reserve the tentative date of the Schools of Our Future Summit.” 

The website also has a link to a survey for the public to provide input in regards to the future of schools in RSU 13: www.surveymonkey.com/r/3Z38539.

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 What next? RSU 13 residents veto $25 million school budget

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com