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Residents press board on transportation, guidance hire and grant spending as budget measures pass
Summary
During the RSU 82/MSAD 12 budget meeting, community members questioned reliance on parent vehicles for athletics, sought clarity on the guidance position and expressed concern about approving carry-forward or grant spending without completed audits; the board approved the budget and asked the superintendent to follow up.
Community members at the RSU 82/MSAD 12 annual budget meeting on May 20 raised several operational concerns as voters approved the district’s budget measures.
A resident asked whether parents and guardians would be asked to provide transportation for golf and cross-country meets instead of district-provided buses and voiced liability concerns; the resident urged the district to explore small-bus or large-van options for smaller teams. Superintendent (name not provided in the transcript) agreed to look into transportation alternatives and said the budget assumes contingency funds should a fuel surcharge apply.
During the Student & Staff Support article, members of the public pressed for specifics about the guidance position—how many days it covers, whether the budgeted amount reflected an employment offer and whether insurance paperwork had been completed. The superintendent said no applicant had completed insurance paperwork at the time of the meeting and that any change to salary or benefits would require a formal cost-center amendment.
Separately, community members cautioned against approving carry-forward or unaudited funds during the statutory Article XIII discussion. The superintendent responded that the district had capital reserve balances and some recovered federal Title funds but that a final audit had not been completed; several municipal assessment figures in the meeting minutes were not legible in the transcript and are recorded as not specified.
The board accepted a motion to allow two non-district residents—Kelly Macfayden and Teresa Lovejoy—to speak on behalf of the district regarding budget matters. The board also approved delegating authority to expend certain grant funds received during the year provided they do not obligate previously unappropriated local funds; the superintendent said grants above a specified threshold would return to the board for approval.
The meeting’s motions and recorded votes resulted in approval of the district’s recommended budget and related articles; the superintendent was assigned follow-up work to clarify transportation options, finalize hire paperwork and report audited carry-forward figures when available.
