The Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 board Feb. 4 approved a $2,442,959 budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year, rejecting an assistant superintendent job. The budget will go to public vote for final approval in March.  

From FY2026, there is a $308,616 (14.5%) cost increase, split between special education ($267,966) and system administration ($2,174,993). The budget also includes a $1,372,327 offset from funding sources, a 12.7% increase from last year.    

Cost allocations, based on population and enrollment changes, increased by $153,516 (16.7%) across the four school districts. The total $1,070,632 cost to member schools is split between Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor ($628,889), Edgecomb ($221,621), Georgetown ($161,987), and Southport ($58,135).  

After much discussion, the board rejected a budget with an assistant superintendent job, which totaled over $164,000 in salary and benefits. Core duties would have included curriculum development and coordination, data analysis, and grant writing. AOS 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said the job would allow his staff to be more proactive than reactive and take pressure off school principals.   

Kahler and board members said the administrative staff is stretched thin, and the role would provide valuable support. However, they also acknowledged the cost and whether voters would approve.  

“It really is needed, especially given the structure of the AOS,” said Community School District (CSD) representative Abby Jones. “Even though I really want to vote 'yes' for this, and it's desperately needed, I’m going to vote 'no' because I want our budget to pass.”  

Board members also discussed opportunities for the assistant superintendent to secure grant funding. Edgecomb representative John Allen discussed if, by doing so, the job could help defray some of the costs and related taxpayer concerns.

The motion to pass a budget with the job failed 211-788, by weighted vote. CSD representatives unanimously rejected the motion. Southport, Edgecomb and Georgetown board members were split.   

“It’s not the time for this. We need to work with what we have,” said CSD representative Stephanie Hawke. “I’m in the people business, and they are very, very upset. They can’t afford their taxes.”  

The board passed a motion to approve a budget without the job, 737-212 by weighted vote. Edgecomb representative Irene Marchenay and CSD representatives Tom Perkins and Hawke were the only no votes.   

The approved budget also removed $25,000 for renovations to the central administrative building. In addition, the budget reflects the completed absorption of the technology office into AOS 98, costing almost $217,000. Formerly, the expenses were in the CSD budget, reimbursed as needed by other schools.  

In another meeting afterward, the Education Service Center board unanimously passed its annual budget. The $1,334,827 budget is up $159,520 (13.6%) from the previous year. According to the district, almost all of it returns to AOS 98 as revenue.  

A public budget vote is set for Tuesday, March 4 in Boothbay Harbor.