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RSU 73 discussion keeps outdoor club stipend after advisor outlines hours and costs
Summary
After public comment and a detailed staff accounting, the RSU 73 board did not rescind an outdoor club stipend. Supporters said the advisor logged hundreds of hours and certification requirements and student fees cover only a small share of trip costs.
The RSU 73 School Board discussed a proposal to remove the outdoor club stipend but concluded no motion would be made to rescind the existing stipend, leaving the position funded for now.
Public commenter Chris Baldwin (school counselor) raised the issue during public comment, saying he was concerned by an item on the agenda that suggested removing the stipend. A subsequent speaker who detailed the program told the board that the outdoor advisor’s work goes well beyond typical after-school clubs.
"We put in over 250 hours on that canoe trip," said Public commenter (speaker 9), describing multi-day outings that require early mornings, late nights and significant chaperone time. The speaker said the advisor and other staff collectively logged roughly 325 staff hours on outdoor-club activities this year and that the stipend equates to about $10–$12 an hour given those hours.
The speaker also provided program cost context: student fees for the trips are modest ("the kids pay $75") and, over four years, comparable commercial guided trips could have cost roughly $42,000; the board’s approach kept the program affordable for families. The speaker added the advisor holds required certifications, including wilderness first aid and trip-leader credentials from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Board members asked operational questions about capacity, outreach and volunteer support. One board member noted the transportation subcommittee had previously reallocated a coaching stipend to fund the outdoor position and emphasized the program had been budgeted rather than newly funded this year.
Committee member (speaker 13) urged the board to retain the stipend, saying it was "money extremely well spent" for the benefits to students and the community. No board member moved to rescind the stipend; one member framed the current status as "we're just we'll just keep things as they are," effectively maintaining the advisor pay.
The board did not take a formal vote to remove the stipend during the meeting. The superintendent noted that items in handbooks and policies can be revisited during the school year if concerns arise.
What happens next: The stipend remains in place; board members and administrators discussed outreach and volunteer recruitment to expand participation and explore additional grant funding for programs.
