WEST BATH

West Bath residents and the Board of Selectmen voted on an article funding $40,000 for expenses related to the town’s transition from Regional School Unit 1 during a special town meeting on Monday night.

Town Administrator Adam Garland was chosen and sworn in by the board as the meeting moderator.

The proposed allotment for the town’s exit from RSU 1 and the establishment of the West Bath School Administrative Unit includes legal consulting fees, computer and software equipment, and school board election costs, according to the town warrant.

Selectman Peter Oceretko provided a breakdown of the costs, an estimation determined by the West Bath Transition Committee.

According to Oceretko, about $10,000 will be used for legal fees, $10,000 for superintendent consulting in assem- bling an administration, $6,000 for IT and computer technology, $3,000 for mailing informationals, and $10,000 will cover other remaining expenses.

“In a nutshell, this $40,000 covers a one time occurring startup cost. Big ticket items would go into the school budget in June,” Oceretko said.

Paula Nelson, the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, clarified that the funds will be available during the transition, as well as through to the next budgeting period.

“If there is any money leftover at that point, we will have an article at a regular town meeting to possibly carry over whatever that amount is,” Garland added.

This article was unanimously approved by the board and the public.

The Board of Selectmen meeting followed shortly after the adjournment of the special town meeting.

The board approved signing a contract with M.W. Sewall for 8,000 gallons of oil that would provide for both the West Bath School and the town office, effective July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016.

“The school, as of July 1, becomes a town building. It’s obviously in the best interest of the school,” Nelson added.

Garland confirmed that the school paid $25,000 for 7,000 gallons of oil last year. With the M.W. Sewall contract, for 8,000 gallons, the overall cost would decrease to $18,800.

“We would be buying more oil and it would still be $7,000 less,” Garland said in support of the contract.

SELECTMAN Peter Oceretko provided a breakdown of the costs: $10,000 will be used for legal fees, $10,000 for superintendent consulting in assembling an administration, $6,000 for IT and computer technology, $3,000 for mailing informationals, and $10,000 will cover other remaining expenses.

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