WATERVILLE — The Waterville Board of Education on Wednesday will hold a special meeting to discuss the school budget and have a first look at proposed spending plans for several school departments for the 2017-18 school year.

The meeting will be at 5 p.m. at Mid-Day Cafe at Mid-Maine Technical Center.

Special services Director Heidi O’Leary will present the proposed special education budget. Waterville Senior High School Principal Brian Laramee and Athletic Director Heidi Bernier will present the high school budget. Laramee will present the alternative education budget; Hannah Bard, adult education; Will Backman, technology; Rich Vigue, transportation; and Shelley Phillips, maintenance.

School Superintendent Eric Haley could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon on the budget, but he said last week that school budgets have been very tight over the last few years.

Last year, Waterville schools used $550,000 in undesignated or surplus money, as well as MaineCare support, to help fund the school budget, depleting those two funds, so the schools are $550,000 behind before officials even start budgeting for the upcoming year.

The City Council voted 6-1 last year to approve a proposed $37.6 million municipal and school budget for 2016-17 that reduced the tax rate by $5 from $27.80 per $1,000 of valuation to $22.80.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17


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