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KINGFIELD – Amid discussions of school closings, foreclosures, consolidation penalties and towns departing the district, residents were unanimous only in their belief that school board directors had difficult choices ahead of them, and in their hope they would make the correct ones.
MSAD 58 has been holding meetings in its member towns’ schools to solicit opinions from the public regarding the future of the district and its schools. The discussion, which began in earnest last year, was prompted by plunging enrollment numbers, increases in state valuation numbers and a central question; does the school district need to change the way it does business?
Superintendent Quenten Clark reviewed some general data prior to comments from the audience in the Kingfield Elementary School gymnasium. In the past 10 years, the total number of students educated at MSAD 58 schools decreased from 1,015 to 837. During that same time period, the state’s valuation figures for the district’s towns jumped from $222,425,000 to $448,900,000. Increases in valuation place larger portions on school budgets on the local tax base, and each student lost equates to $4,697 in lost state subsidy. Compared to the 2009-2010 school year, 26 fewer students are attending MSAD 58 schools, resulting in $122,122 in fewer subsidy dollars from the state.
Internally, there is another financial element that is causing internal cost shifts within the district. Eustis hit its contribution cap last year, due to a low student population, and paid $232,997 less as a result. That has shifted the contribution burden to other towns; notably, Phillips’ total local allocation rose to $738,739, a 15 percent increase, while Strong’s rose by a similar degree.
“In general,” Clark said, “we’ve got some real problems here.”
Directors have been considering the district’s next step. A list of 19 proposals, developed by members of the community, has created a starting point for discussion. It represents a plethora of reorganization possibilities, ranging from a single, central school to dividing Mt. Abram High School up among the other facilities. The district has also pursued other options, such as ongoing talks with MSAD 74 about forming an Alternative Organizational Structure. This school-union like arrangement could result in long term savings and, in the interim, save the district $133,584 that goes to cover the consolidation penalty.
However, Monday evening, many of the statements made by both members of the public and board directors revolved around two philosophical arguments; that schools were precious resources within their communities and should not be closed, and that taxpayers simply shouldn’t be asked to pay any more.
“I’m not ready to give up,” Jack McKee, of Kingfield, told the board. “The choice has got to come down in favor of increased local costs, and I know it’s repulsive.” He went on to speak to the importance of the schools as community centers, as draws for businesses and employers considering the area and as part of their identity as small towns.
McKee, and others, pointed out that if a school was closed, it would be extremely unlikely that the facility would ever reopen.
Others spoke to the dire financial straits facing many taxpayers, particularly in Phillips and Strong where residents have seen significant increases. Phillips Selectman Chair Nancy Morgan said that 12 properties in her town now had liens, with foreclosure proceedings ongoing against another six. She also addressed rumors that Phillips residents and selectmen had begun discussing pulling out of MSAD 58 entirely.
“If I could make it happen, I would,” she said of the option, saying the town could not absorb another large-scale local allocation increase. “We have to do what’s best for the people in town.”
Other residents questioned the school board’s process itself.
“I just feel like we’ve been here before,” Kingfield Selectman Mervin Wilson said, noting that the board had been soliciting public opinion for months. “It’s been a year since this list [of school facility options] came out, and I think after a year we should have a little more.”
“We’ve been sitting here, spinning our wheels for months,” Director Gerald “Mike” Pond Jr., of Strong, agreed. “I, for one, believe we need to get efficient. I don’t believe we can keep doing it with the school buildings we have.”
Director Sue Fotter, of Eustis, took the opposite view, as did Director Alan Morse, of Phillips.
“I’m not ready to throw Mt. Abram away,” Fotter said, as part of statement she read to the audience. Morse, echoing comments made by McKee, spoke in favor of not closing schools and instead waiting to see if the local economy improved in the near future.
The board has more public comment meetings planned in the coming weeks and months.
As a property owner in SAD #58 rising costs are effecting everything in our world. There are some things that we have to decide on that will make a difference. We all know that we have to teach our children and give them chances that some of us never had. We all know that we have to fund our communities. But come Nov. 2 we can tell the county that we are not going to fund the new project. With the county increasing i’s budget by a little over 4.5% I think we as taxpayers have given enough. There are many that want a new building, but we are we not using the empty jail that we are paying for now. The explination is that your taxes will only go up a little, but guess what? They still went up.
I am so sick of my taxes going up. On a fixed income it is hard to make the tax payment. In the past 20 years my taxes have gone from 300 a yr to 1200. Yea its 20 yrs, but I dont own anything different. Now I dont have children going to school but I pay like I do. I think Nancy is right..maybe Phillips needs to pull out of SAD#58. I dont know. I just know I am sick and tired of paying over my fair share and I am sure others feel the same way.
Its too bad a lot of ppl in this town are losing what they worked hard for all their lives, in losing their homes. Now what do they do? Live on the Streets? What? We need to do something!
Phillips resident if you pul out of SAD 58 whos to say your taxes wont go up!
Thank You Darren The fault does not lie with the towns in this district but rather the state who promised to fund 55% of costs but have now welched on their end of the deal (No real surprise there) and are pushing the costs off onto the small municipalities then with the new consolidation laws they imposed penalties for those who did not consolidate. What is the answer?? I do not know but running your own school is not going to save you any money. The state has reduced other reimbursements to towns as well which means the local municipalities must make that money up somewhere…. It is a hard time for all citizens working and retired or disabled I realize this myself having taken a 5% cut in my own salary this past year. However making rash decisions out of desperation rarely leads to a positive outcome.
If Phillips were to pull out of SAD 58, where would they hold classes? How would they transport the students? How can they afford to hire and pay for all the teachers, custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, nurses, coaches,etc. required to keep a school going..not to mention computers and supplies.. Aren’t the current school buses and school buildings, etc. the property of MSAD 58 District, not the individual towns?? Don’t all the District towns have money invested in schools in each other towns, making it necessary for any town to “buy out” it’s share of the District expense incurred while the town was apart of the district? Does Phillips have that kind of money to handle all of this? I agree that our schools need to pull in their reins and stop the spending. More money does not equal a better educated child. Our little town with an ever decreasing population and no industry does not have deep pockets and cannot survive if we continue this trend of increasing taxes. Not sure what the solution is, but I don’t think Phillips is going down the right path when considering pulling out of the district entirely and trying to go it alone.
Our taxes are always going to be increasing to the day you die and you will be taxed for that too. It takes less work and is an easy solution in the short run to increase taxes than it does to actually plan how to reduce them. All the talking heads love to talk because, for most of them this doesn’t effect them. You cant close down a school. If you close a school down there will be no draw to bring people into the area, which will mean less people, less businesses, less income for the area. The towns will still need to have thier money so then higher taxes. We need to think HOLISTICALLY here, and we are not. Id like to see the list of options and the financial impact of each solution. Closing Mt. Abram HS is NOT AN OPTION in my book.
Since I am the one responsible for throwing that idea out there, (and that is all it was, an idea) please allow me to address the issue that you all are discussing, Phillips withdrawal. Since it was reported that Phillips was “mulling” the “option” of withdrawal, it is no surprise the response . With the feedback that I have recieved, negative, positive and factual, I have to agree that on a preliminary basis, that withdrawal may not be a very financially sound option. But, we still do not have the factual figures of costs. I believe the people should have this information to rule in or rule out the option. The extremely amazing event that has occurred, is that people are coming forward and discussing the issue. With great hopes, I encourage the residents to participate in the school board meeting that is scheduled to be held in Phillips. Bring ideas, resolutions and solutions. This is what they are asking for. So please come and participate in the discussion, so we can work together to solve our problem. That is what this article is really about, not if Phillips is going to withdraw from MSAD 58. Let’s stay focused.
I wonder if your newly elected officials in the Maine Legislature would take on the task of trying to ammend the Maine Constitution so that some of the set aside Tif Money for the Kibby Wind project , or any other tax base project that might come along and be built in the unorganized territory, could someday be used to offset the ever increasing costs of Education. in organized towns within a given area. Maybe on a County basis. (If that was possiable), you might make a strong case for Education being as much of an Economic Development project as anything else. People normally look at educational facilites in an area before moving or setting up a business there. The only way to find out would be to chase it through the Attorney Generals office to determine if it had merit. Just think about the potential. I’m sure there those in the Unorganised territory that wouldn’t see it as a viable solution but I certianly would. not object to helping fund a problem like this with my tax contribution.
Margaret I think at least one of the Phillips board members has already made up her mind…. if you look at the above quote in the article.( and that is fine we all have that right) I agree with Mr. Allen and Joyce who both have very realistic points. My son got accepted to a very notable college, thanks to the education he recieved at Mt Abram and within SAD 58.. doesn’t all the children coming along behind him deserve the same? Take away a quality education system and see how much attraction this town has then. I think it’s about time towns all over this state hold Augusta accountable for their promises.
Jon,
I agree. So let’s all get together and go to Augusta!