The Region 10 Technical High School school board tentatively approved a $3.4 million budget for 2021-22 on Monday, representing a 14% increase for the Brunswick school.

This budget is a $419,149 increase over the current budget. Of that increase, $262,299 or 8.7% is new spending related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Superintendent Paul Perzanoski told school board members Monday they need to vote on a tentative budget, “tentative because of the fact that we are awaiting federal money so we may be able to decrease this further based on any stimulus money that we get dealing with COVID issues.”

The spending plan also includes the costs of a full-time business manager at $130,000, which includes supplies in addition to salary and benefits related to the job. The school has been contracting with Brunswick School Department for these services for about $90,000 a year.

In addition, the spending plan calls for $47,495 for a custodian and $75,704 for a school nurse, which is a three-quarter of a full-time position.

The nurse would serve the entire school, serving students and helping with the CNA program’s clinical work. The school has its own nurse for the first time this school year, paid for with federal funds that will end after this school year unless an additional year of funding is approved by Congress.

Region 10 serves Brunswick, Freeport and Mt. Ararat high schools as well as students from Harpswell Coastal Academy, Lisbon and some students who are homeschooled. Traditionally, most Region 10 students attend a traditional high school for part of the day, but travel to attend classes at Region 10.

Under this spending plan, the increases are $155,501 for Brunswick, $149,370 for MSAD 75 and $101,245 for RSU 5.

This budget is the smaller of two spending plans previously reviewed. The board had considered a $3.56 million budget representing an 18% increase.

The smaller $3.4 million spends $125,000 from the capital fund account instead of the operating budget to set up six classrooms within a modular building that the school is leasing. The additional classrooms will allow the school to space out students as required by the Maine Department of Education so it can fully reopen next school year. Students are currently attending Region 10 through a mix of in-person and remote learning.

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