Sebago committee approves warrant for budget validation referendum; tuition to SU61 cited as main cost driver

The Sebago School Committee voted to approve the 2025 warrant and notice of election for the Sebago School Department budget validation referendum, the committee announced after a brief motion and voice vote.

The superintendent, presenting the packet that will go to voters, said the proposed increase is largely driven by tuition payments to SU61 (Lakes Region) for grades 9–12. "The biggest cost item in this budget is tuition to SU61," the superintendent said, adding that about $197,000 of the $288,000 the district is proposing to raise is related to that tuition and that roughly "73.75% of the budget increases" are tied to high-school tuition. She also cited a current per‑student tuition figure of "$15,557, I believe," rising in the projection to about $17,000 for 2027.

The superintendent explained the warrant process voters will see: Article 1 elects a moderator (attorney Greg Im was nominated), articles 2–12 represent individual cost centers, articles 13–15 address the total budget and debt service, and article 16 summarizes the proposed budget. She noted Article 15 requires a written ballot for votes on funds beyond essential services and programs.

Committee members asked about options for lowering tuition costs by rejoining a regional district such as Lakes Region (SAD 61). The superintendent and others cautioned that comparisons are complicated by differing debt allocations, transportation distances and economies of scale; smaller districts frequently pay higher per‑pupil tuition because of lower enrollment.

To explore legal options related to the tuition contract, the superintendent scheduled a June 10 meeting with the district attorney and asked committee members to prepare questions about contract terms and timelines. "Bring your questions. I've asked him to take a look at the contract and to say what options do we have," she said.

On procedure, the committee approved the warrant for public posting by voice vote; no opposition was recorded. The superintendent said she will deliver a PowerPoint presentation at the public meeting and that staff (the business administrator, curriculum lead and special‑education lead) will be on hand to answer specialty questions.

Next steps: the warrant will be posted for the budget validation referendum and the committee will present the budget to voters at the scheduled public meeting. The committee also expects to review legal counsel’s advice following the June 10 attorney session.