The following is general background information regarding the school district reorganization, as well as some frequently asked questions.
Voters will go to the polls to vote on the Central Lincoln County Alternative Organizational Structure on Tues., Jan. 27.
Reorganization came about because lawmakers reduced state funding towards education last year by $32 million dollars in attempt to balance the state budget and mandated that smaller school units reorganize or face penalties through reduced state education subsidy.
Each Regional Planning Committee (RPC) needed to submit a reorganization plan to the Dept. of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron that followed the required guidelines set forth by the state.
Our plan includes the proposed development of a new Central Lincoln County School System “Alternative Organizational Structure” (AOS).
This new arrangement was proposed by our RPC, which is comprised of representatives from Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Newcastle, Nobleboro, South Bristol, Jefferson, Edgecomb, Southport, Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor.
This RPC has met regularly as a “good faith” attempt at following the legal requirements of consolidating the following educational areas: special education, central administrative office staff, transportation and food services.
The plan also had to show some level of savings. Our plan lists no savings the first year, however it does show an approximate savings of $75,000 the following year.
This plan, and accompanying Interlocal Agreement for our AOS, was voted on and approved by each school board representing its respective town.
It is important to note that each board only voted to submit the plan. If a plan was not submitted, schools would risk getting a reduction in state subsidy.
This Interlocal Agreement for our AOS was submitted and approved by the state. This plan includes many details; however, the following are some of the major points:
Voting procedures for newly formed AOS are outlined. There will still be a local school board, but there will also be a larger AOS Board that will meet periodically to discuss issues concerning the entire AOS.
A member from each local school board will represent that town’s interests at this larger meeting. All votes will be weighted according to population.
The budget process calls for the normal town meeting voting procedure; however, it also will include a cost center for shared central office administration for the AOS.
The AOS budget, which is comprised of each school’s budget from this new entity, will need to be voted on and validated. The AOS budget must be validated by a majority of all the voters from all of the participating member school units, not by a majority of the voters participating in the referendum from each member school unit.
Nothing in this plan will affect school choice within the member municipalities.
The AOS will have a procedure that will allocate any state subsidy it receives fairly and equitably. This will occur in a manner that will give them approximately the same amount of funding that they would have received prior to the consolidation movement.
Each member school unit retains its individual debt and property.
The AOS school committee and the voters of the AOS shall have no authority to close a school within a member school unit.
There would be a procedure that would bring about similar contracts for its employees. This will occur over a period of time and will need to be in accordance with existing labor laws. Adopting contracts with similar language will be the first hurdle, followed by salaries and benefits, although the plan does not prescribe identical wages and benefits.
If certain towns do not vote in favor of this plan, they will not be included in this AOS.
There has been an enormous amount of time and energy spent on adhering to this process.
On Jan. 27, you will be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on this School Reorganization Plan. A “yes” vote from the towns indicates in favor of the plan as written.
A “no” vote from the town indicates that the town wishes to go on their own.
It is important to note that if towns vote this plan down, they risk paying penalties in accordance with the law. The penalties range in amount, depending upon the town’s historic state subsidy allocations (some estimates are included below).
As an example, if Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor vote it down, they will continue on their own while incurring the financial penalties in effect at the time. The rest of the towns, granted they approved the plan, would form this new AOS entity.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is this a consolidation of school systems?
A: No, it is not. But it is a reorganization and consolidation of our central office governance with School Union 49 (Boothbay area) and Jefferson (part of School Union 132), and we have to present that reorganization to the voters for their approval. The Plan and the Interlocal agreement are the two documents that will accomplish that.
Q: So, if we approve the reorganization plan, which schools will be in Central Lincoln County’s new system?
A: All of the schools that are currently within School Union 74 (Bristol Consolidated School, Great Salt Bay Community School, Nobleboro Central School, and South Bristol School), School Union 49 (Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor elementary and high schools, Edgecomb Eddy School, and Southport School), and Jefferson Village School.
Q: Who will own and govern the schools after these schools reorganize?
A: In all cases, school ownership will remain as it is at present.
The elementary schools in Bristol, Edgecomb, Jefferson, Nobleboro, South Bristol and Southport will remain the property of the municipalities.
Great Salt Bay School will remain the property of that CSD. Schools in the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD will remain with their trustees. The present elected boards will govern these schools.
Q: Who will employ the teachers?
A: Teachers will continue to be employed exclusively by each local school.
Q: How will our schools be different afterward?
A: In almost every aspect, our schools will continue to operate as they do at present. The same schools will operate with their current and same staff in the same buildings.
Local school boards will continue to govern and maintain oversight for each school, just as they do now. If there is a concern about your school, call the same people you do now. Curriculum, school calendars, special education, and transportation all will be administered by a single central administration in conjunction with local boards and administrators.
Q: Will there be any difference in school budgeting and finance?
A: The school budgets will be developed by local boards as they are now. Budgets will get reviewed by the same municipal warrant committees and will get approved at town meeting as they do now.
However, the new central administration budget will have its own separate review and approval process. Also, for every school budget, the new law also requires an additional separate written budget validation referendum for the next three years.
Q: So, under this reorganization, what happens to high school students?
A: By law, the towns of Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Edgecomb, Jefferson, Newcastle, Nobleboro, South Bristol, and Southport all maintain their current options for school choice.
They can tuition their students either to Lincoln Academy, Erskine Academy, or to any other state-approved secondary school.
Students in Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor must attend Boothbay Region High School.
Q: How will property taxes be affected?
A: The overall cost of running the combined school systems will be not be necessarily greater or lesser due to the reorganization.
School operations and budgets will be unchanged. Some expenses in enlarging the central office administration to include Jefferson and to make systemic changes in the first year will be largely offset by corresponding efficiency of scale in operations.
The stated goal of the reorganization plan is also to distribute any state subsidy to the towns where it would have flowed before consolidation. Recognizable savings in the first year would be realized largely in the avoidance of penalties from failing to reorganize.
Q: What are the next steps in the reorganization process?
A: Along with the reorganization plan, another component document called an ‘interlocal agreement’ which defines the duties of the central office and the powers and duties of the board that will govern that have been approved by the Commissioner of Education for submission to the voters.
On Jan. 27, all voters will be asked to approve this reorganization plan. If all that is completed successfully, a new central office governing board will have to get to work right away because a new central office budget for the 2009-10 school year will have to be acted upon very soon. By law, school unions cease to exist as of July 1. By then the new board will be fully in place.
Q: What happens if one of the towns votes down the reorganization plan?
A: If a majority of voters in each the two CSDs vote yes (Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor and Great Salt Bay) then the AOS will be formed and they will be joined by any of the other communities that vote “yes.” (Please note that it is a majority of the voters in each CSD, not the individual towns; thus, for example, the majority of voters in Bremen could vote against the plan, but it would go forward anyway if the total vote in Bremen, Damariscotta, and Newcastle was in favor of forming the AOS).
If the voters of Great Salt Bay Community School vote for the plan and enough other towns from the towns of Bristol, Edgecomb, Jefferson, Nobleboro, and South Bristol vote “yes” to represent 1200 students, then the plan will go forward with those affirming towns. If the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD votes “no,” then the town of Southport automatically will not be part of the AOS.
Q: What are the penalties for not joining?
A: A few months ago, the Maine Dept. of Education provided estimates to communities regarding penalties for nonconforming school units. These estimates were as follows:
Bremen, $38,469
Bristol, $184,503
Damariscotta, $24,712
Edgecomb, $45,982
Jefferson, $83,526
Newcastle, $42,664
Nobleboro, $66,774
South Bristol, $42,648
Southport, $26,311
Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD, $331,258
Great Salt Bay, $144,749
However, it is important to note that this was before subsidy curtailments were announced.
Coupled with anticipated declines in state subsidy next year, it is fair to say that these numbers are no longer accurate. It would appear that the penalties would be less than these numbers.
Q: What happens if the law is repealed?
A: The answer to that question is not known.
Q: Where can I see a copy of the plan?
A: The plan and accompanying interlocal agreement are available at www.schoolunion74.org home page or at this link: www.schoolunion74.org/uploads/2431243463664a564549722457507553726f354a3262566a58397547576a62546c31.pdf.
