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RSU 04 budget proposal trims technology staff, flags rising licensing and security costs
Summary
District administrators presented a technology budget that would eliminate a shared technician position, delay device refreshes, and absorb recurring camera and firewall licensing costs covered initially with federal COVID-era funds.
At a budget meeting of the RSU 04 School Board, district administrators outlined technology budget choices that would reduce on-site technical staffing, defer some device refreshes and absorb renewed annual licensing costs for security systems.
Administrators said the budget as presented does not include a district technician position currently shared across multiple schools; the position had been advocated for by technology staff but was omitted in this draft. The presentation said the district will “front load” work in coming months to complete key tasks if the position is not retained.
The proposal notes the district has not purchased locally funded student devices in five years and will not start a new device lease next year. The currently deployed inventory is K–8 iPads and Chromebooks for grades 9–12; administrators said a number of devices are now off warranty and the district is locally maintaining and repairing them rather than buying insurance.
Administrators briefed the board on two recurring districtwide technology costs that previously were paid with federal CARES/COVID grants and now shift to the operating budget: annual camera licensing and firewall management licensing. Camera licensing was described in the presentation as “almost $20,000 a year” to provide access and 30‑day retention for district video; the firewall and related managed security licenses were highlighted as essential to keep protecting the network after the initial CARES-funded purchase.
Administrators also pointed to an active E‑Rate 470 infrastructure project that would reimburse about 80% of eligible costs; the presentation identified the district’s local share at roughly $35,000 and emphasized the project is on a “use it or lose it” window.
Other items called out in the technology cost center include phone‑system and PA replacements at multiple schools (some replacement work prompted by recent failures), wireless network upgrades for several buildings, and the replacement cycle timing for teacher/admin MacBooks (noted for consideration in fiscal 2027).
The presentation framed these choices in two budget versions: one with Sabattus Primary School (SPS) open and staffed as today, and a second that assumes SPS closes and certain positions (including an SPS IT position) are removed from the payroll. The administrators said the difference between the two versions of the cost center is just over $65,000.
The board did not vote on these items at the meeting; administrators said they will return with updated totals once health‑insurance rate bands and other figures are finalized later in the budget process.
