The CSD School Committee approved the contract drafted between the Boothbay Region Educators Association and the school district at its meeting May 13. This contract ends a conflict between the two parties that has been going on for the entirety of this school year.

The contract will apply retroactively for this year, and will continue until the end of the 2016-2017 school year.

The school committee also approved contracts for the support staff, which includes 45 members of school staff including Educational Technicians II and III, Secretaries, Custodians, Maintenance and Food service personnel. The committee approved both a retroactive one-year contact for this school year, and an additional three-year contract which will extend through the 2017-2018 school year.

The committee also approved the budget for the 2015-2016 school year. Despite a huge loss in state subsidy revenue of over $220,000, the superintendent's office managed to bring a budget to the table of $8,001,631 (including the regular budget, debt service, and adult education), which is just $113,073 higher than last year’s.

This budget will not be finalized until after the public budget meeting on June 10, held at 6 p.m. in the BRES gym.

At that meeting, all voters of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor are invited to attend and vote to approve or reject the budget.

An approval of this budget on June 10 will mean a slight increase in the tax assessment to both town. For Boothbay residents, who make up 68 percent of the students, it will mean an increase of $76,890, or 1.44 percent. For Boothbay Harbor residents, who make up 32 percent of the school students, it will mean an increase of $36,183, or 1.42 percent.