June 8, 2016 To: Residents of the Towns of Litchfield, Sabattus and Wales Subject: School articles to be voted upon at the June 14th Primary Elections

First the Board of Directors of Regional School Unit # 4 (RSU-4) would like to thank all those who attended the Budget Meeting held on May 25th and voted to support the budget recommended by the Board. This was the second of a current three part process to set the school budget. Final approval of this budget requires a majority vote of the voters of our communities on June 14th during the Primary Election voting. This year, unlike any in the past there will be three school related articles presented to the voters for their consideration. Each is laid out below along with the Board’s recommendation, if we have one: A. School Budget for 2016-2017 school year. This is the both the amount recommended by the Board at the Budget Meeting and the amount approved by the Budget Meeting. The Board continues to STRONGLY RECOMMEND A YES VOTE on the question: “Do you favor approving the Regional School Unit Number 4 budget for the coming school year that was adopted at the latest Regional School Unit budget meeting?” B. By Statute every three years the residents are to be asked if they desire to continue using the budget validation referendum to approve the school budget in those RSUs currently using this process. A yes vote would continue the current three step process of the Board recommending a budget to the Budget Meeting, the Budget Meeting accepting or changing the recommended amount, and then the amount approved at the Budget Meeting is voted upon at a referendum held in all three towns (just what is happening in item ‘A’ above). A no vote will eliminate, for a minimum of three years, the referendum and what ever amount is approved at the budget meeting will be the budget for the following year. The Board recommends a Yes vote to continue the referendum process that allows all residents who can make to the polls pass or fail the budget and not only those that are available for a few hours one night each Spring. The question on the ballot is: “Do you wish to continue the budget validation referendum process in Regional School Unit Number 4 for an additional three years?” C. The third question has no Board recommendation for or against, it is asking the voters if they favor authorizing the Board to barrow money to erect lights on the football field in an amount not to exceed $200,000. This questions was

placed before the voters due to a number of requests by residents to light the football field. Payment of this loan would be an additional cost to the local taxpayers in future budgets, there are no funds in the budget recommended in ‘A’ above which could delay installation for another year until funds are added to the budget. The Board remains mindful of the increasing cost to local taxpayers due to the school budget and as such has taken no position on this article which reads: “Do you favor authorizing the School Board of Regional School Unit No. 4 to issue bonds or notes in the name of the Regional School Unit in an amount not to exceed $200,000 for the purpose of installing lights at the Oak Hill High School football field?”

The Directors of RSU-4 ask each resident to support the Budget Meeting approved budget for the 2016-2017 school year as mentioned in item ‘A’ above. We also ask for your consideration and support for the continue use of the Budget Validation Referendum process in approving our school budget discussed in item “B” above. Please consider item “C” above and vote your preference. We look forward to seeing you at the polls in June 14th and ask your for your support in approving the recommended school budget as passed at the Budget Meeting.

Respectfully;

Robert E. English Chairman, Regional School Unit Number 4