RSU 11 board approves warrants for budget-validation referendum, adjourns to sign paperwork

The Chair of the RSU 11/MSAD 11 school board said the special meeting was convened "to follow the law," noting the board had to set the budget so ballots could be produced for the budget-validation referendum slated for the second Tuesday in June. The Chair added that "there's nothing secret that's been done" and framed the vote as a routine, legally required step.

A board member said the board needed to act promptly to allow legal counsel time to prepare the warrants and related documents, telling the group that the instructions for those documents were "86 pages long." The board member said the paperwork is thorough and must be completed while many other jurisdictions are doing the same work.

After introductions of members and administrative staff for the record, the Chair asked for a motion to "call and approve the warrants for the budget validation referendum and to authorize the notice of amounts adopted." A motion was made and seconded; the Chair summarized the action as "motion by Jeff, second by Tony." The Chair then called for those in favor; with no opposition voiced, the board moved to the administrative step of signing documents.

Administrative staff said the board would go page by page through signature sheets and recommended adjourning so the signing would not be recorded on tape. Staff noted there were "24 pages for each board member" to sign. The meeting was adjourned and members remained afterward to complete the signature pages.

The board took no other formal business at the meeting. The action formalized the warrants and notice needed to advance the referendum to the ballot; the next public milestone is preparation of the ballots for the scheduled June vote.