Wyndham Raymond board approves technology lease, vehicle purchases and multiple contract extensions

The Wyndham Raymond (RSU 14) Board of Directors approved a series of contract amendments, equipment leases and personnel appointments at its June 17 meeting in the Jordan Small Middle School gym.

The board authorized a lease-purchase agreement for district technology equipment in the principal amount of $558,818.30, to buy 240 iPads, 526 MacBook Neos and 68 MacBook Airs through Apple Inc. Superintendent (delivering the superintendent's report) said roughly $164,776 of that total will be credited back to the district through the state MLTI program, and that the devices included professional development and device-management services. Board members discussed grade-level allocations; the superintendent said iPads are targeted to elementary grades while Neos and Airs will go to middle and high school staff and students. "Some of these machines are replacements for machines that are coming out of cycle," the superintendent said.

Trustees also approved multiple vehicle financings: a resolution to lease-purchase two propane-engine school buses in a principal amount up to $231,170 (5.29% interest, term up to five years), a resolution to acquire two replacement vans (principal amount stated in the motion as $97,004.38) and a resolution to acquire one gas-engine school bus in the principal amount of $152,250. The superintendent explained the propane buses receive a per-bus grant (approximately $51,000 each) that reduces net cost; one of the buses will help replace a bus the district lost on May 8.

The board also approved contract amendments for several district executive staff, extending contracts through June 30, 2029. The board voted to approve a contract amendment for Superintendent Christopher Howell (salary listed in the motion as $178,367.82) and contract amendments for the director of curriculum, instruction and assessment (Christine Hessler) and the director of special services (Lisa Garneau). A contract amendment for the assistant superintendent was also approved; the motion named the assistant superintendent but the packet and transcript differ on the detailed numerical presentation for the assistant superintendent's salary.

Other business approved by voice vote included: second readings and approval of policies DJ (bidding), JLDBG (reintegration of students from juvenile correctional facilities), IGA (curriculum development) and the RSU 14 district wellness policy; multiple staff appointments for 2026-27 (special education teachers, speech therapists, a guidance counselor and other classroom staff); and administrator appointments for the 2027-28 school year (Michelle Brandt as principal, Greg Applestein and Amanda Ruth as assistant principals). The board also formally approved the computation and declaration of votes from last week's RCU 14 budget referendum and authorized assessment warrants for fiscal year 2026-27.

Finance committee chair Joe Kellner briefed trustees on May revenue and expense trends and year-end projections, saying the district is "trending on budget." He noted an unplanned increase in bond costs required roughly $1,000,000 in budgeted savings elsewhere and flagged a nutrition services shortfall of about $200,000. Kellner described a five-year capital-planning framework presented to the committee and recommended additional committee review of federal grants and leases next year.

All motions recorded on the agenda were approved by voice vote or unanimous consent. The board then moved into executive session to consider an employment matter and adjourned to a workshop scheduled for June 24 at the Central Office.

Votes at a glance: the meeting contained multiple voice-vote approvals as recorded in the public motion language and carried by the board; individual roll-call tallies were not read into the public transcript.