Selectmen agree to give deputies better Town Hall access

By Samantha Stephens

yccs@seacoastonline.com

March 28, 2013 2:00 AM

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130328-NEWS-303280346?cid=sitesearch

ARUNDEL — A Knox Box will be installed at the Arundel Town Hall to encourage York County Sheriff's Office deputies to utilize the workspace in the office rather than working from their vehicles when they are in town.

The decision was made in a 5-0 vote by the Board of Selectmen to approve the Knox Box, which is a small box with a universal key, on Monday, March 25, at its regular meeting.

The Knox Box will be installed by the sheriff's office at no expense to the town.

Town Manager Todd Shea said Arundel will benefit from the potential for increased police coverage in town.

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Seats up for grabs in Arundel

March 21, 2013 2:00 AM

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130321-NEWS-303210348?cid=sitesearch

Seats up for grabs in Arundel

ARUNDEL — There are two available seats for three-year terms on the Board of Selectmen. The seats are currently occupied by Dana Peck and Velma Jones Hayes. Peck has announced he will not be running for re-election.

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Voters approve RSU 21 cost-sharing plan

By Jennifer Feals

jfeals@seacoastonline.com

March 26, 2013 11:50 PM

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130326-NEWS-130329775

Voters approved the new cost-sharing proposal for RSU 21 in a landslide Tuesday, and Kennebunkport residents soundly rejected exploring withdrawal from the district.

A total of 3,427 voters in Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel voted on the formula Tuesday, with 2,363 voting in support and 1,064 voting against.

Voters in Kennebunk and Arundel, who should see cost savings under the formula, overwhelmingly supported the plan. In Kennebunk, 1,340 residents voted yes and 92 voted no, while in Arundel, 788 residents voted in support with 19 against.

The plan was not supported by voters in Kennebunkport, who are expected to see an increase under the formula. In Kennebunkport, 235 voters supported the formula, while 953 voters did not. Despite that count, Kennebunkport voters resoundingly rejected the proposal to fund a study to explore withdrawal, with 383 yes votes to 809 against.

RSU 21 Superintendent Andrew Dolloff said school district leaders were happy to hear the withdrawal movement will not go forward.

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Planners in Maine envision vibrant downtowns

http://www.pressherald.com/news/planners-in-Maine-envision-vibrant-downtowns_2013-03-25.html

Posted: March 24
Updated: Today at 12:08 PM


By Matt Byrne mbyrne@pressherald.com

Staff Writer

To hear Harland Eastman tell it, the amenities in cozy Springvale would make many modern home buyers salivate.Within walking distance in a community of just a few thousand were 10 grocery stores, five doctors, four dry goods stores, three clothing shops, three pharmacies, two bakeries, a pair of hotels, two jewelry stores, a furniture outlet and a theater.

But Eastman is neither a developer selling dreams by the acre, nor a city planner with an eye on tomorrow. He is an expert on the history of Springvale, part of the town of Sanford, describing the mill town at its height in the early 20th century. If regional planners get their way, Eastman's historic rendition could be a template for growth in the coming generation.

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Click to view the Arundel Maine Village Center Plan Draft 2004 and share your thoughts.
www.arundelmaine.org

Cost Sharing Calculator from RSU21.net

Cost Sharing Calculator http://www.rsu21.net/

This tool will calculate your current tax bill for education, as well as show you what your tax bill would be if the voters of RSU 21 were to approve a new cost-sharing formula, and if the voters were to approve the construction projects proposed for Kennebunk High School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School, and Mildred L. Day School.  Please understand that the second calculation is an estimate based on current budgetary factors, including state aid, enrollment and property values.  These values change each year, but this tool will give you an educated estimate as to the impact of the cost sharing proposal.

Simply visit http://www.rsu21.net/ and enter your property's value from the last tax bill, and hit enter. The school tax amount will be calculated for each of the three towns for comparison.

Property Value

Your school tax bill for the Operating Budget in the current year:

Arundel Kennebunk Kennebunkport Current  $3,072.96   $3,024.00   $1,039.68  Proposed  $2,907.07   $2,965.54   $1,138.75

Your school tax bill with new building projects approved, based on the current operating budget:

Arundel Kennebunk Kennebunkport Current  $3,746.88   $3,504.96   $1,344.96  Proposed  $3,346.56   $3,404.16   $1,540.80

Fate of regional school district creates chasm in York County community

By Jennifer Feals, York County Coast Star

Posted March 22, 2013, at 1:17 p.m.

 

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/22/news/portland/fate-of-regional-school-district-creates-chasm-in-york-county-community/?ref=latest 

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — An issue that hits the pocketbooks for some residents and tugs at the heartstrings of others is dividing the community as the March 26 special election approaches.

Voters will decide next week whether to support a proposed cost sharing formula for RSU 21 that increases costs to Kennebunkport taxpayers. They also need to cast a vote on whether or not to support spending $30,000 to begin a study of withdrawal from the school district.

Residents are divided over the issues, with some writing letters to the York County Coast Star supporting the withdrawal process, while others write rebuttals and post signs on their lawns reading, “Vote No on Withdrawal, support RSU 21.”

The issue has even prompted public officials to take sides.

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RSU 21 releases preliminary budget figures

By Jennifer Feals

jfeals@seacoastonline.com

March 21, 2013 2:00 AM

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130321-NEWS-303210355

KENNEBUNK — One week before the town will vote on the proposed cost-sharing formula for RSU 21, Superintendent Andrew Dolloff has released figures showing the potential impact of his proposed budget with the proposal.

"We really think it's important before the March 26 vote that people in all three towns have an accurate picture of what the cost-sharing vote will do in each of the three towns if it passes," Dolloff said during a meeting of the RSU 21 Board of Directors on Monday. "I think it's important that people at least have some comparative basis for making a decision on their vote for cost sharing."

Dolloff said the fiscal year 2014 budget is currently moving forward at $36.6 million, an increase of $696,328 over fiscal year 2013.

The district is facing a drop in state aid of $766,865, as well as an increase in district contributions to the teacher retirement system of $448,134, he said.

To lessen the hit from the state level while impacting district programming as little as possible, Dolloff is proposing to use $1.2 million from the district's fund balance. The fund balance currently contains more than $2.6 million, he said.

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Arundel urges OK for cost sharing

http://www.journaltribune.com/articles/2013/03/13/news/doc513f404de589e985063549.txt

By JEFF LAGASSE
Staff Writer

Published:

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 12:05 PM EDT

ARUNDEL — Armed with a PowerPoint presentation and reams of informational pamphlets, Arundel Town Manager Todd Shea, along with the board of selectmen, sought Monday to inform residents of how they would be affected by the outcome of a Regional School Unit 21 cost-sharing vote, to be held on March 26.

Cost sharing is the formula that determines how the district’s over-EPS costs are distributed through its constituent municipalities; RSU 21 is comprised of Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.

According to information provided by the RSU, and reiterated Monday night during a public hearing, if the article passes, Arundel will assume a smaller portion of the burden for funding those costs. Kennebunk’s contribution will also shrink, while Kennebunkport will contribute a larger portion of the budget, corresponding to a higher annual tax bill for residents.

Much of change is due to how the new cost-sharing formula calculates the tax burden for the district’s over essential programs and services costs, for educational programs and amenities that go beyond the state’s minimum requirements for education.

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RSU 21 officials warn district is at a 'critical point'

By Jennifer Feals

jfeals@seacoastonline.com

March 14, 2013 2:00 AM

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130314-NEWS-303140371

KENNEBUNK — RSU 21 could be facing its most difficult budget year yet, said Superintendent Andrew Dolloff, who is in the midst of preparing a fiscal year 2014 budget that takes into account an anticipated loss of $1.2 million in state funds.

The school district is facing the $1.2 million impact due to a loss in state aid and a change that would force significant costs for teacher retirement on to local districts. While the numbers are not finalized, Dolloff said the district has been told it can expect to receive $3.8 million in general purpose aid from the state next year, a drop of $737,940. The district is also facing an additional expense of $440,170 due to the shift in retirement costs.

The reduction in state aid and additional retirement costs being pushed locally will make this "the most difficult budget season" the RSU has faced, Dolloff said. Last year, RSU 21 eliminated nearly 12 positions, he said, and approximately eight positions in each of the two years prior. With enrollment remaining fairly stable, he said the district is at a "critical point."

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York County reorganizes police coverage in 14 towns

By Eric Russell erussell@pressherald.com
Staff Writer 

http://www.pressherald.com/news/York-County-reorganizes-police-coverage-in-fourteen-towns.html

Fourteen communities in York County that were covered on a rotating basis by Maine State Police troopers and York County sheriff's deputies are now covered by only one of those agencies.

In an effort to provide continuity of service, especially in investigations, law enforcement duties for the towns were divided between the two agencies effective March 1.

The state police now are responsible for Alfred, Dayton, Hollis, Lebanon and Lyman.

The York County Sheriff's Office is patroling Acton, Arundel, Cornish, Limerick, Limington, Newfield, Parsonsfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro.

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Do you know CPR?

Remains confirmed as Maine boatbuilding students

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/03/remains_confirmed_as_maine_boatbuilding_students

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — The Maine medical examiner's office says human remains found on an island off Kennebunkport were two boatbuilding school students who went missing in December.

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Cost Sharing Calculator @ www.rsu21.net

Cost Sharing Calculator

This tool will calculate your current tax bill for education, as well as show you what your tax bill would be if the voters of RSU 21 were to approve a new cost-sharing formula, and if the voters were to approve the construction projects proposed for Kennebunk High School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School, and Mildred L. Day School. 

Please understand that the second calculation is an estimate based on current budgetary factors, including state aid, enrollment and property values.  These values change each year, but this tool will give you an educated estimate as to the impact of the cost sharing proposal.

Simply go to www.rsu21.net enter your property's value from the last tax bill, and click Calculate. The school tax amount will be calculated for each of the three towns for comparison.

Understanding the Cost-Sharing Proposal

The following link will take you to a presentation by Superintendent of Schools Andrew Dolloff, providing details on the cost-sharing proposal that will be voted on throughout the district on March 26. 

Absentee ballots are available in each town now, and we encourage everyone to vote.  This proposal requires a 2/3 majority in order to change the cost-sharing formula.

• Public Hearing 2013

ABSENTEE BALLOTS for the March 26 vote

ABSENTEE BALLOTS for the March 26 vote
on the RSU21 cost sharing referendum
are now available at the Town Hall