BATH

The Regional School Unit 1 board of directors issued the second reading of a $29.09 million spending plan during an abbreviated meeting Monday, the next step toward budget approval in June. The budget proposal represents an $ 714,871, or 2.53 percent, increase over the 2017 budget.

Increases in salaries and benefits are the biggest driver of the budget increase, including four new educational technician positions and one study hall monitoring position.

Under the budget proposal, the local assessment increases by $664,281 — or 3.88 percent. Arrowsic would see the biggest increase in their local share — a 7.16 percent increase. Phippsburg would see the smallest, at 3.38 percent.

The second budget reading represents a formal motion by RSU 1 to proclaim that their attorneys have approved the proposed budget. Next up is the district budget approval meeting on May 30, followed by a referendum vote on June 13 to formally pass the 2018 budget.

“ Nothing has changed since the last meeting,” said RSU 1 Superintendent Patrick Manuel, speaking of an April 24 meeting where the board cut $113,000 from the budget. “This is just a formality. We do this so we can get the warrants posted to the town and get everything done in a timely fashion before the next meeting.”

The board stayed late after Monday’s meeting to sign the warrants that go along with the motion.

Manuel said that he will designate portions of the budget for each board member to present during the May 30 meeting, and invited any community members who have questions about the budget and the upcoming meetings to be in touch with the RSU 1 central office.

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