AUGUSTA – The state Department of Education has approved a consolidation plan that would combine the MSAD 9, MSAD 58, Coplin and Highland Plantation school districts, clearing the way for a local vote this November.
DOE Commissioner Susan Gendron sent a letter to the districts’ superintendents, informing them of the decision.
“I appreciate the great amount of time, effort and leadership that went into preparing your Reorganization Plan,” Gendron said, noting that her staff had completed a review of the plan. “I wish you continued success as you proceed to referendum and implement the elements set forth in this plan.”
While not officially set, the Western Mountains Regional School District’s final test will likely be at the ballot box on Nov. 4. A single question, on whether or not to consolidate, will make up the decision. To be implemented, a majority of voters in both MSAD 9 and MSAD 58 must approve the consolidation. Individual towns’ decisions are irrelevant, it is a district-wide “majority rules” type decision. Should either of the MSADs’ populations decide against consolidation, the plan is dead. Coplin and Highland Plantation voters can decide to join or not join the new district, but cannot kill the entire plan.
If approved, the plan calls for the consolidation of the school districts administering the education of the children of Avon, Chesterville, Coplin Plantation, Eustis, Farmington, Highland Plantation, Industry, Kingfield, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Phillips, Strong, Temple, Vienna, Weld, Wilton and other communities in the Unorganized Territories that send students to either MSAD 9 or MSAD 58 schools.
The most recently submitted copy of the plan is the third version in six months. The first two versions were rejected on mostly technical issues with the plan, such as minor issues with the document’s language and organization. The newest version also includes provision 13-B, which implements a plan to temporarily mitigate the shift of more than $900,000 in local costs from MSAD 58 towns to the MSAD 9 ones.
That plan is discussed in greater detail here.
The Regional Planning Committee will be issuing an informational pamphlet on consolidation in the near future. MSAD 58 will be holding a public hearing on the consolidation issue at Kingfield Elementary on Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m., to discuss the pros and cons of the merge. MSAD 9 will be hosting a public forum on the issue at Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Mt. Blue High School auditorium.
“People need to decide if this is, in the long term, in the best interest of the education of their children or not,” MSAD 9 Superintendent Michael Cormier said.
vote this down in November. Farmington will have all of the votes telling the people in Kingfield what to do.
Also it is wise to vote it down because “The newest version also includes provision 13-B, which implements a plan to temporarily mitigate the shift of more than $900,000 in local costs from MSAD 58 towns to the MSAD 9 ones.”
I can’t afford for my taxes to be raised again. The school district is already working with such a tight budget, I think this will only make things worse. I also think that SAD9 should get an exception to this–aren’t they rediculously close to the cutoff # of students for the whole consolodation thing? This with the large geographical coverage should qualify us to be exempt.