WELLS/OGUNQUIT — The preliminary 2015-16 Wells-Ogunquit Consolidated School District budget is expected to increase by just under $1 million next year.

On March 25, the school board, which oversees the public education of 1,300 kindergarten through grade 12 students in Wells and Ogunquit, presented a budget that was $936,924 higher than the previous fiscal year. The increase represents an estimated 25 cents per mil increase for Wells, and a 16 cents per mil increase for Ogunquit.

“It was a difficult budget year for us, primarily because the upcoming 2016 school year is when we will see the debt service for the new high school kick in. This, coupled with increases to special education and new programming for our students who attend Sanford Regional Technology Center, resulted in a 6.8 percent increase over the previous year,” said Superintendent Ellen Schneider to a group of citizens gathered for the annual budget public hearing.

Schneider said that the board worked to whittle that increase down to 4.14 percent with the reduction of five positions, as well as a carryover of $200,000 from the previous year.

Specifically, Schneider said the board offered an early retirement incentive to staff and seven teachers applied for it. That allowed the district to eliminate 5.2 positions and realign classroom sizes.

“Our student-to-teacher ratio still remains around 20 students or less across all grades,” Schneider said.

Rick Kusturin, director of finance and human resources for WOCSD, presented a breakdown of the budget to the public. The proposed budget includes a revenue increase in state subsidy and a decrease in adult education costs.

WOCSD’s adult education director retired and was not replaced two years ago. Since then, officials said the district has been contracting with the adult education director in York. That individual has changed jobs and will now be employed by RSU 21 in Kennebunk.

“The administration in Kennebunk also felt they could save costs and so the continuing education position will be shared between our two school districts,” Kusturin said.

Both administrators stressed that the budget was still fluid because that the state has not finalized its calculations for the ED 279, the essential program and services calculation that it uses to determine a community’s subsidy.

“It also does not reflect municipal tax rates,” Kusturin said. “We’re also waiting to hear from Anthem on the final health insurance calculation. We’ve estimated high for this but it could come in lower,” Kusturin said.

Citizens had the opportunity to weigh in and ask questions on the budget before the school board adopts it on April 1.

Only two people asked questions, both related to the status of the high school project.

“Is the construction of the school on budget?” asked Dave Barton, an Ogunquit Select Board member.

“So far we’re in a very good position. The high school project is coming in under budget, primarily because of ”˜found money’ through credits made in shifting elements of the project which were applied against the coming fiscal budget,” Schneider said.

“The thing I am most excited about is the switch to natural gas this summer,” Schneider explained after the meeting.

“With all three schools coming online with natural gas we’ll actually be bringing the pipeline all the way up to Route 1 in Wells. That will result in significant fuel savings. Town Hall and the library will also gain access, so that helps everyone,” Schneider said.

The school board is expected to adopt the budget on April 1. The WOCSD District Budget Meeting will be held on June 3 and the public referendum is scheduled for June 11.