BATH — The Regional School Unit 1 board of directors will take its first look at the proposed 2012-13 budget at a meeting this evening at the former Huse School.
In January, administrators said school reconfiguration or consolidation, a reduction in sports programming and subcontracting additional services would be considered to address what they expected to be a budget gap of about $1 million.
But in February, the district received encouraging news from the state when preliminary figures indicated RSU 1 would receive approximately $500,000 more in state aid to education than anticipated.
However, Superintendent Patrick Manuel said at the time that the district still faced a significant budget gap resulting from reduced revenues, the end of the federal jobs bill and increased costs of health insurance, fuel and heating oil, among other factors.
So while the new state subsidy number was “very positive news,” Manuel said the district would still consider cuts.
“I think it’s fair to say that, since we were projecting … we would have to reduce around $1 million, now with an extra half-million in state aid, we’ll look at cutting a half-million,” he said at the time.
Details about what cuts might be proposed for next year were not available at press time.
Block scheduling
Also this evening, Morse High School Principal Peter Kahl will report on the school’s current block scheduling system this evening, and “possibly share a proposal they’ve been exploring for a ( different) schedule,” Manuel said.
Manuel declined to reveal any details of that proposal prior to tonight’s meeting.
The board also will hear a report from the Facilities Committee on its first meeting, during which members received an overview of the district’s facilities.
Manuel said the committee is at the “ start of the process,” but might eventually look at possible reorganization of the schools.
“We would like to know if we were ever to go down the road that other schools have gone down of looking at doing something different with a school,” what the cost savings and space issues would be, he said.
“It’s not something that is going to be acted upon quickly,” Manuel said of any future recommendation by the committee.
Among other agenda items, the board will:
— Hear reports from the Finance, Policy and Woolwich Building committees.
— Consider the resignation of Bath Middle School educational technician III Susan Johns.
— Consider the appointment of Ross Berkowitz as Bath Middle School track coach and Steve Boyce as Morse High School boys tennis coach.
Prior to addressing the regular agenda, the board will meet in executive session to address two issues: At 5: 30 p.m., members will discuss employment of officials, appointees or employees, and at 6 p.m., they will discuss labor contract negotiations.
Following the regular meeting, the board will meet in executive session to discuss employment of officials, appointees or executives
The Huse School, at 39 Andrews Road in Bath, is the temporary site of Woolwich Central School.
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