July 2020 Newsletter

Greetings, RSU # 71 Communities,     

I hope that this message finds you well and finding time for enjoying our beautiful region.

               

In response to the unprecedented civil emergency and the economic hardship caused by pandemic, we have a proposed budget that is very near to a 0% increase over the FY 2020. The FY 2021 budget stands at  $28,268,293.67 compared to last year's budget of FY 19 Budget of $28,019,030. Due to an error in the way that our law firm prepared the budget documents we have needed to reschedule the budget referendum vote from July 14 to Tuesday, August 18. This link explains the new process and includes on the second page a memo from our attorneys explaining the error.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14fSFDJ8o312aPcPm6HsEWHF5jiDuhWqO/view

We have been working hard on the draft of a three-tiered plan to resume classroom instruction, which may be found here: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iFLQuNexNoX4z45KMTUSapiDQyhAmCyXCrQKo8tcPjI/edit

Many thanks to the 695 families and 112 staff members who completed surveys. We will be sending another survey once we know the extent to which we will be allowed to return to learning in our schools. In the meantime please feel free to reach out to me with ideas, questions, and concerns. If you are interested in completing a Maine Department of Education survey, you may do so by clicking on this link: 

https://www.maine.gov/doe/fall2020survey 

Mary Alice

RSU 71 Proposed Budget

Greetings, RSU # 71 Communities,    📢  

I hope that this message finds you and yours doing okay during this challenging period of the coronavirus pandemic. 

In response to this unprecedented civil emergency and the economic hardship caused by it, we have a proposed budget that is very near to a  0% increase over the FY 2020. The FY 2021 budget stands at  $28,268,293.67 compared to last year's budget of FY 19 Budget: $28,019,030.2

Due to the pandemic, the state of Maine has changed the budget process to accommodate the need for safe social distancing protocols:

The school board formally voted on the proposed budget at the meeting on June 8th.

Board members who were able to sign the warrant articles in person did so on June 9th.

The warrant-articles will be delivered to all town offices by June 12th. 

On Monday, June 22nd at 5:30 pm we will have a public forum via ZOOM during which time all townspeople who wish to speak will be able to do so. 

The public will vote on the budget at the polls on July 14.

I'm writing to let you know that I would be very happy to come out to the towns of Swanville, Searsmont, Belmont, and Morrill to meet with you. (We have already met with Belfast.) Or, a safer alternative might be to meet via ZOOM. Our Director of Finance Chandra Hodgdon would like to attend, as would David Crabiel, our RSU # 71 Chair of the Budget Committee of the Board of Directors. If you like us to come out to your town or to set up a ZOOM meeting, just let me know what would work for you.

Many thanks and warm wishes for continuing health during this historic time.

Best regards,   

Mary Alice