FARMINGTON — The Regional School Unit 9 board of directors proposed at its Tuesday meeting a $45 million 2024-25 budget, which is an 8.26% increase over the previous year’s $41.71 million budget.
The district will be holding its annual budget meeting at 7 p.m. May 21 in the Bjorn Auditorium at 129 Seamon Road to discuss and vote on the upcoming budget.
Superintendent Christian Elkington has stated at several budget meetings with the board of directors that the taxpayers will only be accountable for 4.45% of the budget increase, with the remaining 3.78% being pulled from different sources including the balance forward account.
According to Elkington, the account is made up of previous budget savings by applying a three-year system plan to reduce possible tax increases. To offset various budget items, $2.98 million will be pulled from the account.
Of the amount pulled from balance forward account, $250,000 will be used to create an account for a building renovation fund set for 2027-28; $250,000 will be put towards reserve account increases; $1.05 million for new long-term and one-year positions; $385,000 for building and grounds projects for 2024-25; and $1.05 million will be put toward reducing taxes for the budget.
Elkington stated the district has released its budget review, which includes the 22 articles that will be voted on at the budget meeting.
Among them is Article 16, which is the proposed budget for adult education. The district proposes $599,956 for adult education, which is an increase of 11.59% over the previous year’s $537,642.
It also includes the proposed assessment increase for each town, and they are as follows:
• Chesterville: $1.15 million, 4.92% increase
• Farmington: $5.27 million, 4.57% increase
• Industry: $1.09 million, 4.76% increase
• New Sharon: $1.15 million, 1.78% increase
• New Vineyard: $888,709.63, 1.75% increase
• Starks: $592,845.96, 3.84% increase
• Temple: $510,138.30, 1.28% increase
• Vienna: $805,156.85, 3.35% increase
• Weld: $731,480.75, 9.11% increase
• Wilton: $2.91 million, 3.38% increase
• TOTAL: $15.09 million
Towns will vote on the budget referendum in the upcoming primary election on June 11. For more information on the RSU 9 budget, visit mtbluersd.org.
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