RSU 10 board weighs $1.13 million reduction list as administrators map options to protect services

The Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10 board spent most of its meeting reviewing a proposed reduction list worth $1,125,753 and debating how to preserve core student services while meeting a multi‑million‑dollar budget gap.

Superintendent Deb said the reduction list reflects what administrators can propose to meet direction from the board and that the board itself will make final decisions by vote. "So if you remember, last meeting, we started with a reduction list, that totaled, $1,125,753," she said during the presentation. Administrators repeatedly emphasized that proposed line items are options, not final personnel determinations.

A central debate focused on how to staff athletics and school administration. Administrators offered two options: continue with a single full‑time athletic director covering both the high school and middle school, or split duties between an assistant principal who also performs AD duties (an APAD) and a stipended AD at the high school. Athletic director Jeff Pelletier argued against combining the roles into a single position. "Mount Valley High School needs an assistant principal, and it needs an athletic director to run the way that it does," he said, noting the district runs 19 athletic offerings and serves more than 350 students.

Special education and student support positions drew sustained attention. Administrators warned that out‑of‑district placements and contracted transportation have driven large, unpredictable costs; Deb noted a past year where out‑of‑district transportation budgeted at $60,000 resulted in $153,000 in actual spending. Board members discussed hiring occupational-therapy and speech staff directly rather than contracting to reduce outsized contract expenses.

The administration also presented options for the district’s Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) teachers, explaining grants could fund part or all of some positions. Finance lead Leah explained the ELO line could be funded either as two half‑positions or one full position by shifting grant money: "We have enough money in grant funding. We have to shift some funds around to either pay for 1 position or a half in each place," she said. One cut line identified on the board's worksheet showed $177,000 in potential savings if an ELO position were removed from the budget.

Board members asked administrators to model the tax impact of restoring specific lines. Administration demonstrated an assessment tool that can show, in real time, how adding back a cut line changes the districtwide tax rate; as presented, the package of proposed cuts equated to an average 3.013% tax increase across the district with much larger percentage changes in some member towns.

Next steps: the board agreed to take the cut list and a separate, earlier cut list home to review and return in two weeks with line‑by‑line yes/no decisions and a real‑time tax model so the public can see tradeoffs. Administrators said they will also provide requested clarifications on contracting versus hiring costs and on how grant timing affects staffing options.