Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 board voted for a 7.7% increase from the $614,922 2020-2021 budget to $662,207 in the 2021-2022 budget Nov. 30. Members also began discussion on the search for a new superintendent.

The Educational Service Center established last year will be kicking in $60,000 in Maine Department of Education subsidy, said Superintendent Keith Laser. In addition to the use of $25,000 from the undesignated fund balance, actual costs will be down 1% to $577,207.

Cost sharing changed significantly for Southport Central School which is up 33% in its contribution to the AOS 98 budget. SCS Committee Chair Adam Harkins said the school saw about a 20% increase in enrollment. The breakdown between school districts: Boothbay – Boothbay Harbor Community School District contributes 56.6% for the upcoming budget, a decrease of 1.2%; Edgecomb Eddy School, 22.18%, 4% decrease; Georgetown Central School, 13.47%, 6.7% decrease; and SCS, 7.75%, 33% increase.

AOS 98 board Chair John Bertolet officially announced Laser’s retirement which initiated discussion on a search for his replacement. The draft budget included a line of $125,000 for the superintendent’s salary, up from Laser's  salary of $120,820.

Harkins said he felt $125,000 was a large number and virtually anyone could be hired. Bertolet disagreed and Edgecomb School Committee Chair Tom Abello said voting on any number is difficult. “One of the problems with it is that it's a public number, so it's hard to negotiate from that number from either up or down because that's what's in the budget … If it's going to be a public number, we don't want it to be that low because it will discourage good people from applying.”

The board voted for a central office operating budget of $470,721, a 7.2% increase; that budget includes $120,000 for the superintendent's salary; however, the board also established a $20,000 salary reserve out of the undesignated fund balance for use during negotiations.

The board tabled extension of Special Services Director Christopher Baribeau's contract to June 30, 2022 since his current contract goes to that date, but the board gave him a raise from $88,683 to $92,000. The board also approved a $191,486 special services operating budget, an 8.8% increase; that budget includes $40,950 for special services office staff, a 2.1% decrease; $116,170 for central office staff including $10,558 for technology stipends; establishing a $10,000 reserve for unemployment claims and continuing $5,000 in capital reserve for central office maintenance. The unemployment and capital reserves will be funded by the undesignated fund balance.

The AOS 98 board reelected Bertolet and the CSD’s Peggy Splaine as chair and secretary. Abello, AOS 98 vice chair, who said he would not be running again, was replaced by GCS’s Kelly James. Harkins was elected treasurer of the Educational Service Center. All leadership positions are reflected in the Educational Service Center except for treasurer, which is not in the AOS 98 structure.