RSU 04 board approves administrator contract, LRTC cost‑sharing plan, student trip and second‑reading policy updates

The RSU 04 Board of Directors on the evening of the district’s regular meeting approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the RSU 04 Administrators Association, adopted a revised cost‑sharing formula for the Lewiston Regional Technical Center (LRTC), approved an overnight FBLA student trip and completed second readings of three personnel and student‑safety policies.

The votes come as district leaders prepare the next fiscal budget. Board members were presented with a two‑year rolling average allocation method for LRTC seats that sets each district’s share based on allotted seats rather than current enrollment, and staff said the change will be reflected in the upcoming budget. "We have to pay for our seats whether we use them or not," Board member Katie said during the discussion on the cooperative agreement, summarizing how seat allotments, not actual attendance, will determine local costs.

Why it matters: the LRTC formula shifts more predictable local responsibility for the gap between the center’s draft budget and the state ED 279 subsidy to participating districts; even modest local shares can change district spending priorities. The administrator contract ends a closed‑session negotiation under 1 M.R.S.A. §405(6)(D) and removes an outstanding labor item from the board’s agenda.

Key details and discussion

Lewiston Regional Technical Center cooperative agreement: District staff described the new cost‑sharing formula as a two‑year rolling average of technical‑center seats assigned to each district. The board was shown both "allotment seats" (the seats each district is allocated for budgeting) and actual enrollment by district. The allotment seats listed in the presentation were Lewiston 213, Edward Little 116, Poland 52, Oak Hill 52, Levitt 52 and Lisbon 52; the contemporaneous enrollment numbers presented were Lewiston 310, Edward Little 114, Poland 68, Oak Hill 76, Levitt 80 and Lisbon 64. District staff told the board the budget figure RSU 04 will carry for the coming year is about $32,372, and noted that a different calculation discussed the previous year would have yielded roughly $45,000.

FBLA overnight trip: Marco, an administrator presenting on behalf of FBLA advisor Angela Roy, said 58 students plan to attend the state FBLA conference March 16–18, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Portland. The cost to each student is $210, which the presenter said covers meals, conference registration, two nights’ hotel and a conference T‑shirt; students raised nearly $5,000 through a calendar raffle and payment plans are in place for families needing assistance. "She has 58 students that are planning on attending the conference," Marco said.

Policy second readings: The board approved second readings of the following policies by voice vote: JICK (bullying and cyberbullying prevention), GBJ (personnel records and files) and GCF (professional staff hiring). Those policies will move forward consistent with the district’s standard policy adoption process.

Collective bargaining agreement: After an executive session for labor negotiations conducted under 1 M.R.S.A. §405(6)(D), the board returned to open session and voted to approve the collective bargaining agreement between RSU 04 and the RSU 04 Administrators Association. No contract terms were read into the public record during the meeting; the board recorded the motion and approval.

Committee reports and audits: The finance committee reported on the external audit and recommended operational changes around activity funds. The auditor’s recommendations, the committee said, focused on improved documentation for activity‑fund expenditures (including use of gift cards) and vendor vetting for federally funded purchases. The committee also flagged aging food‑service equipment and recommended beginning to budget for replacements; committee members estimated typical useful life spans of 10–15 years for much kitchen equipment.

Next steps and implementation: District staff indicated the LRTC draft budget and the state ED 279 subsidy figure will be reconciled and the resulting local share will be incorporated into the superintendent’s recommended budget. The FBLA advisor will finalize student payments and requests for financial assistance as needed. The board directed that audit recommendations be implemented by school business staff, which board finance members said is already underway.

Ending: Board members noted a schedule of upcoming workshops and meetings and said materials on the approved items — including the cooperative agreement and the administrator contract — will be shared with board members and posted per district practice.