FARMINGTON — The RSU 9 board of directors met July 23 for their regular meeting, addressing key organizational changes and future plans for the district.

The meeting began with the reorganization of the board. Dorothy Robinson from Chesterville was nominated as the new board chair, a motion that was unanimously approved. Gwen Doak from Wilton was then nominated and unanimously elected as vice chair. The committee assignments will be communicated via email later in the week.

The board discussed the board’s code of ethics, stressing the importance of prioritizing the children’s needs and maintaining a respectful discourse among board members. Gratitude was expressed to new board members J. Jeffrey Barnum of New Vineyard, Katie Martikke of Starks and Gerald “Gerry” Provencher of New Sharon for their dedication and service.

Additionally, board member Richard Ruhlin acknowledged the improvements in the district office’s landscaping.

Superintendent Christian Elkington discussed the district’s involvement with Connectivity Maine grants. He outlined the requirements, including board and public approval, and projected the earliest community vote for June next year. He highlighted the grant’s potential to bring various community services into one place and mentioned that discussions would continue in the coming months.

The board approved the proposed 2024-2025 meeting dates, with adjustments for holidays in November and December. Each school and department will present updates at least three times a year. The board also reappointed Dr. Emily Jacobs as the district physician at a cost of $2,000, a line item in the budget, which was passed unanimously.

Allison Gamosh, the director of finance discussed the town assessments for the upcoming year. It was noted that Weld pays the highest amount per student due to the town’s valuation and number of students. Elkington explained the state’s determination process and offered to attend Weld’s Select Board meeting to clarify details.

Elkington provided an update on the Bjorn Center project, initially funded with $2.5 million. Despite bids coming in higher than expected, additional funding from the Bjorn Foundation and interest earned brought the project closer to completion. However, an additional $185,666.16 from the maintenance reserve was required to finish the culinary section. This motion was approved with one opposed.

The current balances in the district’s reserve accounts were reported as follows: $550,000 in the Capital Reserve, $650,000 in the Special Education Reserve, $656,000 in the Technology Reserve and $100,000 in the Fuel Reserve. Elkington mentioned ongoing efforts to secure further funding and possible reductions in contractor fees.