A Hammond resident urged RSU 22 officials to proceed cautiously on future budget proposals after a recent referendum failed and county budget pressures were announced.

Eric Jarvey, who identified his address to the board, said the Nov. 4 referendum to build a new administration building did not receive loan approval. Jarvey said he supported the project at a prior public hearing but criticized the timing and communication around the referendum, saying details were not well explained to voters.

Jarvey told the board he requested district correspondence on Nov. 10 and later received an Oct. 16 email from Hamden’s code enforcement officer to the district that raised concerns about referendum language and the necessary approval process; Jarvey said this correspondence was not shared at the Oct. 21 public hearing. He asked the district to exercise caution when developing the next budget request, noting the Penobscot County advisory committee had proposed a roughly $36 million budget representing a roughly 20% increase for FY ’25, which Jarvey said could set the stage for significant property tax hikes in affected towns.

Chair thanked Jarvey for his comments; the board did not take immediate action during public comment. The speaker framed his remarks as advice for future budget development and public engagement rather than a request for a specific board vote.