Selectmen note school budget on track as superintendent misses scheduled update

Selectmen heard the Consolidated School District budget overview and discussed administration engagement after a scheduled presentation by Superintendent Dan Ross did not occur.

Town Manager Billings told the Selectmen that Superintendent Dan Ross failed to appear for a scheduled school update and had not rescheduled; Billings said Ross had been meeting with Deer Isle officials about their budget crisis. At a later meeting Supt. Hurvitt and Jane Osborn presented a finished budget estimated at about $6.5 million; the district planned a public hearing May 31 and a budget vote June 14. Board members asked for timely distribution of the final budget material to the town office.

Why it matters: School budgets are a major municipal expenditure and determine property tax impacts and school operations such as staffing and maintenance projects.

Discussion and follow‑up: Selectmen urged clearer communication from district leadership about outreach and scheduling; TM Billings said she would circulate the final budget after the school board finalized it. No Selectmen vote on the budget was recorded; the transcript records the hearing and the vote schedule.

Ending: The board recorded the budget hearing and vote dates and asked the superintendent’s office to send finalized budget documents to the town clerk and TM to inform voters.