MSAD 51 outlines $44M budget to town leadership.
During its March 21 meeting, MSAD 51 School Board presented a preliminary budget to members of Cumberland Council and North Yarmouth Select Board. The $44M budget outlined by Superintendent Jeff Porter represents a 5.43% ($2.27M) increase over the previous year’s budget.
Projected rises in fuel and utility prices and loss of temporary federal funding contributed to the increase. Fixed costs, including salaries, benefits, debt services and utilities, represent 80% of the proposed budget.
Included is the funding of 4.8 new full-time staff positions as well as 3.2 full-time staff positions previously covered by federal Covid relief programs. For FY22, MSAD51 qualified for approximately $300,000 in ESSER funds. Money was awarded according to a formula based on economic need. Districts such as Lewiston, whose median household income is $42,969, received significantly more ($20M) than affluent communities like MSAD 51. According to GPCOG, the median household income for Cumberland and North Yarmouth is $111,890 and $113,994 respectively.
The FY23 budget increase translates to a $0.60 increase to the mil rate (2.93%) in Cumberland and a $1.19 increase (7.00%) for North Yarmouth. On a home valued at $400,000, residents in Cumberland should expect to pay an additional $240, while North Yarmouth residents would pay $476.
The school board will conduct a line-by-line budget review workshop on April 4. Next steps include a public hearing on April 25, followed by a vote of the board to adopt the budget on May 2. District budget meeting is scheduled for May 19, when residents will vote to determine which of the budget articles will go onto the June 14 ballot.
Porter stated the administration had worked to minimize increases by “freezing” current budget expenditures in January. Projected savings will be applied to pay off leases early.
Porter outlined $918,700 of strategic priorities not included in the FY23 budget These included permanent substitutes, part-time music and art teachers, and nurses, as well as additional administrative positions.
During the meeting, Select Board Chair Brian Sites asked the school board to remove a reference to North Yarmouth’s TIF district, as it was potentially confusing.
State subsidies offset district costs. Amount varies annually based on valuation. For MSAD51, the proposed budget equates to $20,990 per student. With revenues and state funding, the amount passed on to residents is $14,747 per student.
North Yarmouth Budget Committee is working with the select board and town manager to finalize the municipal FY23 budget. The impact of questions regarding TIF revenues is being reviewed.
North Yarmouth’s current mil rate is $17.10, a $0.55 increase from FY21. Assuming no changes at the municipal level, the proposed school budget translates to $18.29 mil rate.
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