Buxton residents heard school administrators present the SAD 6 proposed $35.6 million budget in a public hearing last week.

Buxton, Standish, Hollis, Limington and Frye Island will vote on the school budget on Tuesday, June 14.

With the state subsidy up $2.7 million, Buxton’s share of supporting SAD 6 would be $4.9 million, down $45,294.61 from last year. Buxton taxpayers are responsible for 28.5 percent of the local share of SAD 6’s budget, a figure determined by the state.

“We’ve tried hard to bring you a responsible budget,” said SAD 6 Superintendent Suzanne Lukas on Wednesday.

With the proposed budget up 4.9 percent from $33.9 million, the overall budget increase reflects a rise in unavoidable costs like fuel expenses and contracted increases for teachers, according to school figures. A Buxton resident suggested group purchasing to help SAD 6 combat rising costs.

An SAD 6 report shows that fuel costs jumped up $209,047, which includes fuel for school buses that travel 1.2 million miles each year. “Gasoline prices have gone sky high,” Lukas said.

Ervin Colbath, a Buxton resident who is a former hospital food purchasing administrator, asked whether group purchasing would help save SAD 6 money. SAD 6 Business Manager Helen Vadnais said the district buys food aggregately and goes out to bid on big items like fuel.

Lukas said the district has explored buying fuel in conjunction with towns. But with its large fuel storage capabilities, SAD 6 has received better fuel prices than the district would buying through the Greater Portland Council of Governments.

Lukas said SAD 6 is looking further at group purchasing. The topic is expected to come under discussion at an upcoming meeting of several local school business managers. Lukas also said SAD 6 plans to advertise to fill a purchasing position. “We’re trying to look at it,” Lukas said about group buying.

Salaries and benefits at SAD 6 represent 74 percent of the budget. Salaries rose from $20.4 million to $21.2 million, a 3.6 hike, and benefits increased 6.75 percent from $4.8 million to $5.1 million. Utilities rise 116 percent from $791,281 to $1.7 million.

The proposed SAD 6 budget going to voters is $201,590 less than the state’s Essential Programs and Services model budget. EPS is the state’s new complex model of calculating the basic education costs for each of the state’s school districts.

“I think they’ve worked hard to keep the numbers down,” Colbath said of SAD 6.

SAD 6 expects $17.3 million from the state, up $2.7 million, and the total local share would be $17.4 million. Lukas said the state money would account for 48 percent of the proposed budget under the new Essential Programs and Services school funding formula. This year’s figure represents a rise from the 42.6 percent that the state paid last year.

Lukas said the state’s share would have dropped to 40 percent without the new EPS funding formula. She made that etimate by reviewing a percentage graph, which indicated a dropping trend in state subsidies for SAD 6 over the past few years.

Peter Burns, chairman of the town’s budget committee, asked whether the district had environmental testing results for the Hanson School in Buxton Center. Lukas said an isolated area in a teacher’s room in the school’s basement is being tested for mold and flaking paint is being tested for lead. In testing, Lukas said the district was taking aggressive action to make sure the school has a safe environment.

“We want a healthy environment for our children,” Lukas said.

Jean Harmon, chairman of Buxton selectmen, asked whether money would be available in the budget for a contingency plan if current testing for mold at the Hanson School in Buxton Center showed the school’s environment was unsafe.

“We haven’t budgeted for the problem,” Lukas said and added there was no reason to believe it’s not safe.

Jean Harmon, chairman of Buxton selectmen, asked about paying for a contingency plan if current testing for mold at the Hanson School in Buxton Center showed the school’s environment was unsafe. “We haven’t budgeted for the problem,” Lukas said and added there was no reason to believe it’s not safe.

Last year, the school budget accounted for $10.10 cents of the town’s $12.40 tax rate per thousand of valuation, said Selectman Carol Sanborn. Both Sanborn and Lukas said the impact of the proposed SAD 6 budget on the town’s tax rate for the new fiscal year was unavailable.