FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 voters will gather Tuesday for the first round of voting on the district’s third budget proposal, following the defeat of a second budget last month.

Voting on the latest budget will be held at Mt. Blue High School at 7 p.m. Tuesday. If passed, the $33.6 million budget would represent an $887,984, or 2.71 percent, increase over the previous year.

To come to the new figure, school board directors cut $292,414 from their second $33.9 million budget proposal. The cuts included $165,431 in additional state revenue the board had directed toward capital improvement projects. Those projects will now be paid through a previously approved $318,000 bond issue.

The board cut a half-time American Sign Language teaching position added to the budget during the July 25 budget referendum vote as well as 1.5 social worker positions. Directors preserved half of a new social worker position to supplement a half time position at the Mt. Blue Middle School. The social worker positions were created to work with regular instruction students in the district.

Reversing its previous decision, the board voted to direct all $729,000 in additional state funds toward reducing assessments for district towns. If approved in its current form, seven of the district’s 10 towns would see reductions in their assessments. Towns receiving decreases would include Farmington, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Temple, Vienna, Weld and Wilton. Chesterville, Starks and Industry would still see increases to their assessments.

Reductions to town assessments range from $4,736 for New Vineyard to $119,949 for Wilton. Farmington would receive a $108,489 reduction while New Sharon would see a $26,670 decrease compared with the previous year. Increases would range from $2,973 for Chesterville to $21,582 for Starks. Industry would see an $11,345 increase over last year.

The district is currently operating on the $33.9 million budget approved at the July 25 annual budget vote. The budget was later rejected by a 1,429 to 1,290 vote in the Aug 3 referendum.

Should the latest proposal survive its first hurdle, it will go to district towns for a vote on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Kate McCormick — 861-9218

kmccormick@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @KateRMcCormick