PHILLIPS — Voters Tuesday approved Maine School Administrative District 58’s $10.1 million budget for 2022-23 and also favored continuing the budget validation process for the next three years.
The budget passed by a wide margin in Avon, Kingfield and Strong, with Phillips voting against it by four votes. All towns supported Question 2.
Voting results on the budget, by town, were Avon, 44 to 13; Kingfield, 92 to 17; Phillips, 64 to 68; and Strong, 94 to 45.
The validation question votes, by town, were Avon, 45 to 12; Kingfield, 78 to 27; Phillips, 91 to 39; and Strong, 108 to 28.
The $10.1 million budget for 2022-23 is an increase of 8.6% over the current spending plan. In January the district approved making the Strong Elementary School a middle school for all grade four to eight students.
“This reconfiguration resulted in the reduction of more than a dozen staffing positions, resulting in a decrease of over ($1 million) dollars in expenses, and bringing the district in much better alignment with the state funding formula,” Superintendent Todd Sanders wrote in a budget brochure posted on the school’s website. “The budget reflects an overall increase of 8.058% which is a result of current property valuations, state subsidy, and the returning of expenses covered in the previous fiscal year by federal grants. The resulting increase to local taxpayers is currently 3.80%.”
The brochure indicated the impact to individual towns:
• Avon: Increase of $17,619, or 3.31%.
• Kingfield: Increase of $104,608, or 6.54%.
• Phillips: Increase of $11,362, or 1.10%.
• Strong: Increase of $26,716.00 or 2.55%.
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