The Wiscasset School Department is in “good shape” financially but school officials need to resolve a dispute with the select board over $1.1 million, auditor Ron Smith of RHR Smith & Company said Tuesday night. He said the Maine Department of Education has taken notice of the matter and may intervene.

Smith’s comments came during his review of the 2017-18 audit with the school committee.

Having not received these monies impacted the school department’s cash flow last summer, said Smith. “This money was appropriated for education and must be used for educational purposes.”

Smith noted the discrepancy has been on the books for years dating back from when the town withdrew from Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12. “It’s lost its identity as far as where it came from but I can tell you for certain it’s education money. We’ve been talking about it for four years,” he added.

“It’s taken us that long to get them (the select board) to acknowledge they owe it to us,” commented committee chair Michael Dunn.

Smith suggested the superintendent and school committee meet with the select board and treasurer and resolve the issue.

Smith commended the school department’s nutrition program funding which he called among the best he’s seen in the state. Superintendent of Schools Terry Wood praised the efforts of food service director Lorie Johnson and her staff.

Facilities and transportation director John Merry said he’d recently hired two new substitute school bus drivers.

Merry added he’d have an estimate soon for the installation of two new underground fuel tanks at the bus garage; one for diesel fuel, the other gasoline. They’ll replace above ground tanks.

Linda Dygert was hired as an educational technician  III at Wiscasset Middle High School. Elementary art teacher Donna Barnes will be retiring at the end of the school year after 45 years of service to the school department.

Also retiring is Cindy Rines after 25 years of service in the food services department. Rines will continue as a substitute cafeteria worker. Holly Morgan resigned as a school special education teacher effective April 13. She’s accepted a job with Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta. The board accepted the recent resignation of special ed teacher John Schumacher.

The committee approved an eighth grade trip to Boston for June 13. Students will walk the Freedom Trail and visit Faneuil Hall. Also approved were spring junior high overnight trips chaperoned by Jobs for Maine Graduates. One is to Portland and the other to Waterville.

Also approved was WMHS’s student participation in Out of Maine’s “Rainbow Weekend” May 3-4 in Rockland. Board member Desiree Bailey abstained on the request.