The Community School District schools are ready for the new school year. Director of Facilities Dave Benner reported to the Board of Trustees at their Sept. 11 meeting that school facilities and sports fields are prepped, and progress is being made on repair projects.   

He said asbestos inspections are complete, but the sprinkler systems need updated signage to be compliant with new codes. He also reported that contractors expect repairs on the high school roof to be done before the end of September. “I’ve been very happy with what I've seen so far,” he said.   

Updates to the elementary school kitchen cooler and freezer systems are also complete, but Benner said the project was around $10,000 more than expected. However, Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said they discussed the amount, and Kahler concluded it was within the acceptable bounds of planned overage. The board agreed to review the procedure for handling exceeded estimates in a future meeting.  

In addition, Benner added that the district has enough bus drivers and quelled a rumor that custodial staff were driving buses.    

In other business, the board continued their ongoing discussion of roles and responsibilities regarding the CSD Charter. Trustees unanimously passed a motion to request that Representative Holly Stover submit a placeholder to the state legislature that would allow them to meet a deadline to potentially revise the charter.   

During public comment, former Boothbay Harbor Selectboard member Denise Griffin raised concerns about the 2023 charter change. According to her, the final version of the latest charter differed from what the town reviewed during the approval process. She said she hoped the trustees could go to the current selectboards for their support to rectify the situation.   

The board also approved the district’s tuition agreement with Southport. Starting July 1, it lasts three years and applies to grade 7-12 and pre-K students. The agreement sets a tuition rate not to exceed what is set by the state. For 2024-2025, Maine Department of Education reported a $14,080.88 CSD tuition rate.