KINGSTON - Two weeks after the Sanborn Regional School Board proposed a $23.9 million budget for the 2005-’06 school year to the district’s budget committee for review, board members voted to reconsider the recommendation.

During a School Board meeting Wednesday night, members voted 5 to 2 to reconsider the budget and cut $105,886 based on a request of board member Kurt Baitz.

"I feel we need to be fiscally responsible and reduce the budget by a certain amount," Baitz said. "I don’t think we are trying to replace everything (that was cut in last year’s budget) in one year."

His recommendation knocked the overall budget down to $23.8 million, an estimated decrease of 10 cents per $1,000 of home valuation. Superintendent Dr. James Weiss said he was hesitant to release the tax impact for the proposed budget, default budget and warrant articles because through the Budget Committee process the number may change several times.

The newly proposed operating budget is a 15.1 percent increase over the 2004-’05 budget, compared to 15.6 percent increase for the original proposal. The increase not associated with the high school bond is 8.1 percent.

Baitz came up with the $105,886 by cutting $39,450 for an accountant, $3,000 for a physical education kick board, $10,000 for a copier for the school district office, $4,140 for replacement of cafeteria tables and $49,296 for a middle school teacher.

The cut comes on the heels of an $800,000 suggested cut two weeks ago by board member Linda Collins, which failed.

"In the last six years since I’ve moved here, we have spent a lot of money, on a good cause," Baitz said. "This district has moved forward. The $800,000 Mrs. Collins recommended was a little steep but I certainly think we should restructure the (budget) process."

He cited the increase in teacher salaries, new writing program, restructuring of the guidance department at the high school, a full-time assistant principal at the middle school, and investment in technology.

Baitz’s recommendation was faced with mixed reaction from the board.

"This goes against the budget process," School Board member James Doggett said. "You don’t just wait until the last minute."

Weiss asked Baitz to consider having the administration find a staff position to cut within the district and not limit it to a middle school teacher position because that would disrupt the school’s "teaming" atmosphere.

He reminded the board that at the beginning of the year it drafted a set of goals, which included adopting a new set of accounting rules called Gatsby 34. If the accountant were removed, this goal would not be obtainable.

Doggett and School Board member Lynn Harding said they disagreed with cutting an accountant and teacher. They both voted against the $105,886 cut.

Although Baitz came up with the $105,886 cut through reducing certain areas, the board left it up to Weiss to suggest areas to cut. Using Baitz’s suggestion as a guide, Weiss will present his opinion for areas of the budget to cut at the next School Board meeting scheduled for Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bakie School.

School Board members also reviewed warrant articles and approved a default budget of $22.3 million to pass on to the budget committee. The board approved the wording of proposed warrant articles and the order that they may appear on the ballot. Members plan to vote on the warrant articles on Jan. 5.

Warrant articles include: election of officers; approval of school reports; operating/default budget; $1.9 million teacher contract; $2,500 for the Drugs Are Dangerous Inc.; $1 to establish an expendable trust fund for facilities maintenance; and establishing a cooperative school district planning committee.

The proposed coop committee would research whether to create a cooperative school district with the town of Fremont.