Oakland-area school board member Dawn Castner, left, is joined by fellow board members Sara Laguet, Michael Tracy, Chelsey Oliver, Laura Tracy, Keith Morin, Matthew Robillard and Superintendent Carl Gartley as they discuss the proposed spending plan for Regional School Unit 18. The $45.5 million budget will go before voters at the May 22 districtwide meeting. Hannah Kaufman/Morning Sentinel

OAKLAND — The Regional School Unit 18 School Board voted to adopt a budget of $45.5 million for the next fiscal year, but board members were divided over the use of contingency funds at the tense Wednesday night meeting.

Disagreement took place over the funding identified to pay for Superintendent Carl Gartley’s salary for his one-year interim assistant superintendent position starting July 1. Gartley has assured taxpayers his salary will not be in the budget and will come from a contingency fund for “periods of financial emergency.”

Gartley, who announced in October that he will retire in June, signed a contract for an advisory position to assist the next superintendent not long after that. The salary is about half of his current $150,000 a year pay.

Belgrade board member Sara Languet argued at the meeting at the district’s central office that Gartley’s salary should be listed in the budget as an administrative position for the sake of transparency.

“We got the trust of the towns to use this contingency fund exclusively for emergencies,” Languet said. “And an administrative position, for me, is not an emergency.”

Gartley said he recommended using the contingency fund because his salary is not a continuing expense.

“It’s a one-time, large cost, and we have the contingency fund, and that was the plan,” Gartley said. “If the board says, ‘We would rather save more money in the contingency fund and raise the budget,’ I can do that. I don’t recommend it, because you have the ability to use this contingency fund to not raise taxes.”

The board established the contingency fund in 2023 and authorized it to hold unallocated fund balances in excess of 9% of the prior year’s budget, to be spent when the school board determines by public vote that an emergency need exists. This year, $1 million will be transferred to the fund.

Languet made a motion to amend the budget by adding $150,000 for Gartley’s position. Board member Andy Cook said he was opposed to the amendment.

“We’re awash in money, guys,” Cook said. “Between the 9% contingency and the ($1) million plus right here, we’ve got 10% — we’re awash in money. If I was a voter, I’d be embarrassed. I’d say, ‘Why don’t you guys hand the whole $1 million back to us, right now? So we need to hold that $1 million, and I don’t think we need to bump the budget anymore. It’s just fine as it is.”

The amendment received support from Languet and board members Chelsey Oliver and Sharon Frost, but failed when seven other board members voted no.

The $45.5 million budget for the school district that encompasses Oakland, Belgrade, Rome, China and Sidney, passed, with only Languet voting no.

Gartley said the budget can still be altered before it goes to taxpayers May 22 at the districtwide budget meeting.

A recent audit of the district’s finances cited no issues, but Gartley said auditors recommended the board designate the contingency fund for specific budget articles going forward. After heated discussion, the board agreed to split contingency funds among four articles, covering costs in facilities, regular instruction, special education and legal fees.

During the meeting, Gartley said all budget decisions are ultimately the board’s.

“I have an opinion, you have an opinion, the board will have an opinion,” Gartley said. “My recommendation tonight is for these motions. Again, this is board money.”

“This is taxpayer’s money,” Languet shot back.