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RSU 4 voters approve $23.44 million school budget; board-authorized spending rises to $23,437,909
Summary
At a public budget meeting, RSU 4 residents approved the district's 2025-26 spending plan after votes on individual articles; the school board then authorized total expenditures of $23,437,909.
RSU 4 voters on a motion authorized the school district to expend $23,437,909 for fiscal year 2025-26 after a series of article votes at the district's annual budget meeting in Savatus.
Superintendent Katie Grondin, who led a presentation of the recommended budget, told voters the superintendent's proposal initially totaled $23,477,569.54, "which was a 3.71% increase over last year's budget," and that after line-by-line review the board approved a $23,310,071 figure before the assembly authorized the final amount. The board later moved $23,437,909 as the total authorization and the meeting counted 25 in favor and 6 opposed on that motion.
Why it matters: the authorized total governs the RSU's legal ability to spend for prekindergarten through grade 12 and sets the basis for further warrant articles that determine how much each town must raise. The budget reflects personnel costs for roughly 250 employees, health-benefit increases and other operating drivers Grondin described.
Key details: Grondin said salary increases were the largest driver, listing a year-to-year salary impact of $253,572.28, and that health insurance costs were budgeted earlier at 15% and later updated to a 14.25% increase when the district received its MEA Trust figures. She told the meeting the school board and business manager reviewed line items across technology, tuition reimbursement and other benefits to lower the proposed increase to near 3% before presenting it to voters.
The meeting followed the town-meeting style process: moderator Randall Greenwood read each article, motions were made and seconded, discussion occurred at the microphone and votes were taken by voice or paper ballot where statute required. Individual article votes that comprise the total budget were approved earlier in the meeting; for example, Article 13 (additional local funds) passed by written ballot (clerk count reported 22 yes, 8 no), and Article 14 (authorization to expend) carried on a counted voice/card vote.
