ATHENS — Residents will be asked to consider a proposed $2.08 million budget for the Athens Community School on Tuesday that includes the elimination of one full-time and one part-time educational technician position.

The $2,088,203 budget is down from the current $2,091,008 budget, but due to a loss in state funding the amount of money to be raised locally is up 7 percent, according to School Board Chairman Alan Linkletter.

Residents will be asked to vote on the budget at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the school. The meeting is the only scheduled vote on the budget as Athens does not participate in the two-step referendum process that many school districts do.

The proposed increase is the first time the board has asked for an increase since the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade elementary school withdrew from Madison-based School Administrative District 59 in 2013.

“I think most people understand that the state is doing this to us,” Linkletter said. “There are several things we can’t do this year, but we’re not cutting any teaching positions. We’ve been trying to avoid that, but if we keep losing state funding, it’s the next step.”

The district is losing $139,479 in state funding, a figure that represents about 6 percent of the current school budget. Some of the loss is based on higher property valuations in Athens, but Linkletter said the state also reduced revenues based on the school’s decision to eliminate a principal last year in favor of a teacher-led school model.

The model divides school leadership work among three lead teachers who receive stipends and together perform the duties of principal in addition to their regular classroom work. Linkletter said that in the first year of the new model, it has worked well, and the school is planning to continue it next year. The change has saved the school about $40,000 annually.

“It’s working really well with the group of teachers we have,” Linkletter said. “I’m not sure it would work as well anywhere else, but they’re interested in doing it and they’re an excellent group of teachers.”

In preparing the budget this year, school officials were originally faced with having to ask voters for a 15 percent tax increase, but through cuts, including the elimination of the two educational technician positions, arrived at a 7 percent increase, Linkletter said.

Increased expenses include the purchase of a new bus — something he said the school cannot delay — which will cost $80,000 and will be paid for over four years. The school will be reimbursed by the state, but only one year after each payment is made.

“I’m upset because I think the state is screwing us,” Linkletter said. “But I think people realize that the board runs a tight ship, and I think they appreciate that we try to be fiscally conservative.”

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm

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