RANGELEY — Rangeley Lakes Regional School District, RSU #78, Board of Education held a meeting April 13, and recently released its minutes.

Board members present were Carol Hall, William Roy, Jennifer Farmer, Barbara Burgess, Harold Schaetzle, Pamela Ellis and Nicholas Gumprecht, with Rick Godaire, Virginia Nuttall and Laura Haley absent.

Brian Foster, RSU #78 superintendent; Sherry Connally, RLRS principal; several staff and several members of the public were also present.

The board accepted without discussion the minutes to the March 23 and April 6 meetings.

Gumprecht and K. McMillan reviewed the PTA playground project documents, the projected budget and the fundraising efforts. They stated that the goal is to make this a community project that will benefit many children. Monies are being raised through donations, fundraising and other sources, they informed the board. Grants are being submitted and the PTA hopes to raise 50 percent of the costs.

The board discussed the site plan, and questions about equipment and placement were addressed. The group requested the board consider a possible request of $15,000 in the school budget. It is hoped that the project can be completed by the start of school 2011.

Foster reviewed the current status of the budget since the last board meeting.

Burgess stated that the budget represents about a 16 percent increase. It was noted that many of the increases are fixed, one-time costs associated with the consolidation of the districts. Members of the audience addressed the board concerning several areas of the budget.

Several field trips were discussed. Members from the audience spoke about maintaining the middle school field trip that was cut from last year’s budget. Schaetzle stated he felt it important that students help partially fund trips. He asked for a more detailed breakdown of the money budgeted. The middle school teachers will provide this information.

Several parents spoke in support of continuing the K- 2 proposal in the budget. Questions were raised concerning the projected kindergarten enrollments for next year. Staff spoke in favor of supporting the proposal.

The board discussed the impact of the overall budget. Foster indicated that the board was looking at ways to reduce the impact of the budget and that all options were being considered. And Burgess stated that the board was not going to be voting on the K-2 proposal at that meeting.

The board also asked to have a breakdown of the costs and commitment of the library automation through WMEC for the next meeting. Burgess also asked to have the amount budgeted for substitutes addressed at the next meeting. She is concerned with the increased amount for substitutes and the amount of lost contact time with teachers and students.

Gumprecht discussed the need for the board to look at potential costs of bonding and potential energy savings for the building. It was suggested that this be pursued by establishing a facilities committee of the new board and to begin by reviewing the Soule Report completed on the facility.

The board discussed a number of other options in reducing the budget. The superintendent was asked to bring back recommendations for the next board meeting.

Foster reviewed the previous agreement with the Rangeley Board and the plantations regarding establishing tuition for students attending RLRS. The board agreed to base the tuition on actual budget costs minus transportation, divided by the number of subsidizable students based on average enrollments. Special education costs will be billed separately.

Foster explained that it was necessary to adopt a resolution in order for the new district to participate in the Property and Casualty Pool. The board agreed to the resolution without discussion.