Residents in Jackman-based School Administrative District 12 gave initial approval to a proposed $2.24 million school budget Tuesday night ahead of a June 14 referendum.

Forty-seven people attended the budget validation meeting at the Forest Hills Consolidated School, said SAD 12 district-wide Principal Denise Plante.

“There were a few questions here and there, but nothing of great or lengthy discussion,” Plante said of Tuesday’s meeting. Each of the 16 articles in the budget meeting warrant were approved as recommended with no changes, she said.

The proposed $2.24 million budget is up less than 1 percent from the current $2.22 million budget, although the amount of money to be raised locally through taxation is up about 15 percent in both Jackman and Moose River.

“We would have liked to see more voters present so they’re better informed, but it was also a cold night and there were baseball and softball games,” Plante said.

Last budget season, voters fought a proposed 7 percent budget hike that eventually was reduced to a 3 percent raise over the 2014-2015 budget. The 2015-2016 budget was approved in a fourth referendum vote in October and included the elimination of three educational technician positions through attrition.

In order to keep taxes low, the district is putting on hold for the second year in a row a planned technical education program that would focus on forestry skills.

“We’re hoping a lot of people will go out and vote,” Plante said. “(The budget) is not what we would like for our students, but it’s there.”

Final voting on the budget will take place June 14 at the Jackman and Moose River town offices.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm

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