OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The Regional School Unit 23 Board, representing Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach, approved a budget proposal of about $43.2 million Tuesday night at the Old Orchard Beach Town Hall.

This is the third budget proposal the RSU board has approved, and marks a reduction of $282,500 from the last budget proposal and about a $400,000 reduction from last year’s budget.

Two previous budget proposals have failed. In order for a budget to receive final approval, it must first receive approval from the RSU board; then at a regional Town-Meeting style vote; and then final approval must come from a district-wide referendum.

The preliminary budget the board approved Tuesday night reduces the assistant principal position at Loranger Middle School to a half-time position. It also cuts a part-time central office administrative assistant, a part-time Title I teacher at C.K. Burns School, a part-time educational technician at Governor John Fairfield School, and a bus driver.

Other cuts include those in the areas of stipends, supplies and transportation.

The board decided not to cut a part-time French teacher, a part-time chorus teacher at Loranger Middle School and a part-time guidance counselor at Saco Middle School.

“I think the number is less important than what we’re doing to the education of kids,” said RSU Vice Chairwoman Beth Johnston.

Chairman Gary Curtis was opposed to any cuts proposed that evening, as the budget that failed already had $1.2 million in cuts from last year’s personnel, programs and services.

“I believe we’re making substantial cuts that we’re never going to catch up on,” he said.

Curtis said he was concerned that with the proposed budget, there would not be enough contingency funds to deal with emergency situations, and he asked Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Michael Pulsifer for his opinion.

Pulsifer said as soon as the budget gets approved, there will have to be a spending freeze just to make it work.

“We need to hope nothing happens,” said Pulsifer. “We’re down to fumes.”

The RSU had made a request to Thornton Academy to reopen negotiations, and Thornton responded with an offer to allow the RSU to defer $100,000 until next year. The RSU has a contract of about $11 million with Thornton to send high school students from Dayton and Saco to the school. The board voted not to defer the money.

RSU board member Millie Tuttle said she thought it would be “kicking the can down the road” to the next year.

Cuts already in the proposed budget are an assistant principal at Old Orchard Beach High School, two teachers at Dayton Consolidated School, a health teacher at Loranger Middle School, a part-time dance instructor at Old Orchard Beach High School, two Title I staff in Old Orchard Beach, an education technician at Old Orchard Beach, two special education technicians, a business manager, and a Medicaid secretary.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.