Message from Superintendent Elkington Regarding the Proposed Union #76 Budget

Post date: Dec 12, 2016 8:14:51 PM

Hi All! Hope you have had safe travels today!

Over the last two weeks the "proposed" Union Budget has been discussed and reviewed by many. It has become clear that the original reasons for this position being proposed no longer matter and are outweighed by the concerns being shared by many. It is also clear that the animosity being created is taking away from the good work now being completed in our schools by our students and staff and will if it continues interfere with their good work in the future. This is not acceptable to our school boards and your Superintendent and is not the role of the Superintendent's Office in Union 76. The proposed Business Manager position and the animosity and bad will it has created is not supporting our most important resources -- our students and staff. The Business Manager position has now been taken out of the proposed 17-18 Union 76 Budget. Please see the attached budget for details. Discussions about taking this position out of the proposed U76, 17-18 Budget started this past Friday and culminated in discussions over the weekend.

With the elimination of the Business Manager position the new U76 Budget, to be reviewed by the Union 76 Board will have an overall increase of 1.95%, as compared to the original proposal of 11.6%.

Each year, per the Union Budget Guidelines, we base the formula for the following year, % of funds raised by each district, using the Oct. 1st counts in the following three areas: Total Staff, Student Population and Special Ed. Population. For the present 16-17 school year the percentages for our three districts are as follows:

Brooklin - 16.23%

CSD 13 -  61.82%

Sedgwick - 21.95%.

For 17-18 the new percentages are as follows:

Brooklin - 15.50%

CSD 13 -  60.97%

Sedgwick - 23.52%.

When comparing the 16-17 Budget to the newly revised and proposed 17-18 Budget (without the Business Manager), it will mean the following changes for our three districts:

- Brooklin, an overall reduction of $2,200.00

- CSD 13, an overall increase of $1,900.00

- Sedgwick, an overall increase of $11,300.00

(Sedgwick's increase in the formula for 17-18 is the reason their line is going up).

As Superintendent of Schools it is my responsibility to keep the clarity of message positive, clear and focused on and with our students, staff and schools. This did not occur in this instance and I apologize and take responsibility for that.

We will be making a final decision by 3:00 PM today, on whether or not the Union Meeting, because of the weather, will be held tonight at the Sedgwick School.

My best,

Christian M. Elkington

Superintendent Union 76