The Cape Elizabeth School Board has approved a budget despite members’ misgivings that a Town Council-imposed spending cap would not leave enough money for the schools.

With a 7-0 vote, the board approved a budget even though members said they were unhappy about a budget that they felt didn’t provide adequate funding or services to their schools.

“We are living with an increase that is not at all relevant to the educational needs in Cape Elizabeth,” said School Board member Rebecca Millett while Middle School Principal Steve Connelly shook his head in agreement.

The final school budget was approved at approximately $18.3 million, a 3.93 percent increase over last year’s budget.

In defiance of a council imposed 3.4 percent spending cap for the schools and the town budget, the schools, bolstered by community support, submitted a budget to the council with a requested increase of 6.95 percent.

The council rejected that increase last week when they approved a school spending increase of 3.9 percent, allowing only a slight increase in spending above the cap for population growth.

The combined budget for all town and school services totals $28.4 million. Property owners will now pay an additional 24 cents for every $1,000 of property value, a 1.5 percent increase over last year’s tax rate. That is less than half the current rate of inflation, Cape Elizabeth Town Manager Michael McGovern pointed out.

The final budget saw cuts in staffing, furniture and professional development over last year’s budget. However it also saw some additions. Pond Cove will be getting the part-time social worker school officials have requested for about six years.

With a ratio of 650 kids to one school counselor, Pond Cove Principal Tom Eismeier said the need for the position outweighed the cost. “It emerged at the top of the list,” he said. The position will cost the school system nearly $28,000.

Some residents are not happy with the council’s decision to give the schools less than the almost 7 percent requested by the school department.

Nancy Marshall moved to Cape last year from Williamsburg, Va., and has grandchildren in the school system. “I’m very sorry to see that a majority of the council was unable to see their way clear to support that budget,” said Marshall. “Next year it will be even worse.”

Marshall agreed with councilors Cynthia Dill and Mike Mowles who supported increasing the school budget more than was approved by the council.

Dill compared the school system to a car with its service light on. “You can ignore it, but you’re not saving yourself any trouble later on,” she said.

Both Dill and Mowles voted against a budget amended by the other five councilors in phone discussions and one-on-one meetings before the May 15 vote. An additional $93,000 was added to the 3.4 percent cap for school spending based on an increase of 21 students from 2005 to 2006.

The high school lost two positions, but gained several part-time positions as well. Eismeier referred to this system as “horse-trading.”

Cape High School Principal Jeff Shedd will not refill a position in special education lost to a retirement at a savings of $56,000. The high school will also lose one ed-tech position that cost the school almost $16,000.

The high school gained three quarter time positions in English, math or social studies and an ed-tech position in science. The school also gained two half-time technology positions. These positions combined added nearly $58,000 to the budget.

Hawkins said that the cuts weren’t as deep for professional development as originally proposed back in February when he presented his first budget to the school board. Under that budget, the superintendent abided by the council imposed spending cap. It was then that parents and teachers rallied in support of the schools, convincing the school board to submit a budget they felt was more reflective of the schools’ needs.

Originally, about $50,000 was cut from professional development, which Hawkins said is an important part of training for teachers. In the final budget, $16,000 of those cuts were restored.

Classroom furniture was also a point of contention. Furniture for two classrooms, one at Pond Cove and one at the high school will be replaced next year. “We have classrooms in trouble…this is something that will be a burning issue down the way,” said Hawkins.

At the middle school, Principal Steve Connelly plans on saving $5,000 yearly when he replaces the more traditional wood working shop classes with electronics and robotics-based curriculum in shop classes. Connelly said the cost of lumber amounts to about $5,000 annually. “I can’t continue to put that kind of money into that program,” he said.

Though the initial start-up cost for the electronics and robotics materials will be higher, about $4,000, in the long run, it will save the district money, he said.

School board members questioned the wisdom of curtailing the woodworking program, but Connelly maintained it was no longer feasible with his plans to implement a more technologically based shop curriculum. “Would I love to have both? …Yes. Can I support it fiscally? No,” he said.