MINOT — Selectmen were told Monday night by Regional School Unit 16 Superintendent Tina Meserve that the increase in the 2015-16 budget appears to be about $545,000.

She called the rumored $2 million figure overblown.

Meserve said a budgeted 5 percent increase in health insurance premiums may turn out to be high.

“(If) it comes in lower than that, we’ll take (the) amount out immediately,” she  said.

Meserve also noted there is considerable support in Augusta for increasing the state’s contribution to local schools.

Selectmen quizzed her and School Committee Chairwoman Mary Martin at length on a few personnel and curriculum changes, including adding a foreign language class at the middle school.

Meserve said the high school has a Spanish class and the middle school is probably the simplest way to make sure the district complies with the directive that high school graduates have some proficiency in a second language.

Selectman Dan Gilpatric questioned the proposal to hire a district business manager.

Selectman Eda Tripp also had problems with increasing the central office staff.

“I hear complaints now that the system is too top-heavy,” she said.

Meserve said the board checked staffing levels at comparably sized school districts and determined that RSU 16’s central office staff is the smallest of any.

“We probably have the leanest central office. I don’t know any school system that doesn’t have a business manager and has just one world language,” Meserve said.

If a budget with a $545,000 increase is approved, taxes on a property valued at $100,000 would increase about $53.

In other business, selectmen approved Nick Santos’ proposal to build and install 20 to 30 bat houses around the town athletic fields as part of an Eagle Scout project.

Town Administrator Arlan Saunders also told the board that Evan Gallagher is making good progress on his Eagle Scout project, which the board previously approved. It involves putting up a 12- by 12-foot three-sided pole barn to protect the town sand pile available to residents.

Selectmen appointed Candace Gilpatric as planning board chairwoman  and James Brown and John Gould as board members. All terms expire Jan. 31, 2018.

Fire Chief Dean Campbell said he is working on bids for the Central Fire Station and should have them ready for the board meeting in two weeks.