BATH

Regional School Unit 1 directors were in a giving mood Monday. Municipal officials from Bath and Woolwich were only too happy to receive.

As a result of a state allocation to four of the five RSU 1 towns that was larger than was expected, the RSU 1 board voted unanimously to return $226,250 to Bath; $93,512 to Woolwich; $36,421 to Phippsburg; and $6,547 to Arrowsic.

Anticipating the news, municipal officials asked that the money be applied to this year’s tax commitment.

RSU 1 Board Chairman Timothy Harkins said RSU 1 is obligated to return the allocation. The only question, Harkins said, was when.

“I’m pleading with you to give us the money this year,” said Woolwich Selectman David King, who pointed out that Woolwich residents absorbed a $509,000 increase in RSU 1 expenses this year. “That’s one and a half mills, and $93,000 off that would be an awful big help. The property tax is the town’s biggest income, and we don’t want to raise that more than necessary.”

Bath City Manager William Giroux said at the outset of the meeting that the City Council passed its budget.

“So we’ve got a budget here that we have to correct,” he said. “The council is strictly looking at this as reducing taxes. A 6 percent tax increase really hits people.”

Questioned about any legal opinions RSU 1 lawyers might have on when the money should be returned, Superintendent Patrick Manuel said they offered no opinion. lgrard@timesrecord.com