Although it may feel like the election season just ended, voters in Biddeford will have the chance next week to decide whether to secure some state funds for the purchase of learning equipment at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT).
If approved, the referendum will have no impact on local property taxes. Instead, the state of Maine will fully fund the $491,500 bond as part of an existing grant, which will still require voter approval.
School Superintendent Jeremy Ray said the state approved the funding request in August but there was not enough time to place the question on the November ballot.
“This grant will not be adding to our debt service or as a burden on taxpayers,” Ray said. “This is just a step we have to follow to access funds that were already approved by the state.”
Ray said the funding from the Maine Department of Education will be used to purchase needed equipment for BRCOT students.
Qualifying for the grant was coordinated by BRCOT Director Paulette Bonneau. In a memo sent to the Biddeford City Council in November, Ray said Bonneau’s diligent efforts and leadership were essential for securing the grant funds.
“Director Bonneau’s continued dedication to securing state-of-the-art equipment and programming has once again yielded substantial benefits for our technical education programs,” Ray told the council. “This grant will significantly enhance our ability to provide high-quality, hands-on training that prepares our students for successful careers in their chosen fields.”
The grant money will fund critical equipment upgrades across multiple programs, Ray said, including an electric forklift; an ambulance for the school’s EMT training program and a van for use by students in the plumbing program.
While this funding has already been awarded as a grant, the Maine Bond Bank’s financing structure requires voter approval before the school can access these funds.
According to the Biddeford City Clerk’s office, voting will take place on Tuesday, January 21, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Tiger Gym at Biddeford High School.
The actual text from the ballot is included below:
“Shall the Mayor and the Treasurer of the City of Biddeford be authorized to
issue bonds or notes in the name of the City for minor capita! purposes in a
principal amount not to exceed $491,500 to acquire advanced industry
standard equipment to modernize career and technical education programs at
the Biddeford Center of Technology and train students for careers in high-
demand fields? The debt service on the bonds or notes shall be paid by
the State of Maine with no impact on local educational taxes.
——————————
Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!
THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 