The Fayette School Committee has arrived at a final budget proposal.

The budget plan for the administration of the consolidated Winthrop-Fayette district also has been completed.

Only the Winthrop school budget remains outstanding, and the school board will meet again today to try to close a gap of more than $970,000 between revenue and expenditures.

School Superintendent Briane Coulthard said the consolidated school board will meet at 6 p.m. in the Winthrop Town Office All-Purpose Room to consider approving the district’s proposed budget of $390,000, which is $18,000 less than the current year’s.

The Winthrop Board of Education then will continue working on its budget at a meeting immediately following the consolidated board meeting.

“They need to complete the budgets for the upcoming school year so they can approve the warrant to go out for a public vote,” Coulthard said Tuesday.

Coulthard said the consolidated district budget is lower because he recommended — and the board approved — eliminating the post of business manager, which is listed at $34,800 for the current year.

Coulthard recommended hiring an interim, part-time superintendent to replace him when he retires at the end of the June and then searching for a permanent replacement next year or collaborating with another district to share a superintendent.

Coulthard currently is the district’s business manager as well as its superintendent.

The Fayette School Committee will vote in May on a proposed budget of about $1.58 million, some $145,000 less than the current year. That proposal will go to the residents for a vote June 11 at Town Meeting.

Winthrop schools budget is scheduled to go to the Winthrop Town Council next month and will go before the residents for a vote the following month.

“What we’ve tried to do is take out the items first that didn’t affect the classroom,” John Mitchell, chairman of the Winthrop Board of Education, said.

He said the state is providing $880,000 less in the current year in education aid and is reducing the Medicaid reimbursement.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com