To the Editor:
On Jan. 27, voters in the towns that comprise School Union 49 (Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb, Southport), School Union 74 (Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Newcastle, Nobleboro, South Bristol) and Jefferson will go to their polls to vote on the question of whether or not their Town should consolidate with the other towns to form the Central Lincoln County School System.
Each of the towns has held a public hearing on the issue where the consolidation plan has been explained and those present have had the opportunity to have their questions answered. There have been numerous articles in the local newspapers as well as letters to the editor describing how consolidation will work and the consequences of voting no.
This plan is probably not perfect and will not immediately produce the cost savings that were projected by the State of Maine; however, there will be some cost savings eventually and, in addition, there may be some educational opportunities which result that will benefit students.
The plan that has been proposed provides that each town retains local control, elects its own school board members, runs its own school and develops and approves its own budget and retains its school property. In fact, for these towns, it will be very similar to what they are used to as part of a school union; only the new union will consist of 11 towns rather than three in the case of Jefferson which currently is part of Union 132, four in the case of Union 49 and six in the case of Union 74.
It is now up to the voters. If the plan is approved, the Central Lincoln County School System will be formed. Each school committee will appoint one of its members to the Central Lincoln County School System Board, which will have many tasks to complete before it commences operations July 1. Among those tasks are selecting a superintendent, staffing the central office and developing and getting a budget approved. If the plan is defeated, consolidation will not move forward and those towns that don’t consolidate because the plan was defeated will be penalized.
I encourage you to vote in the affirmative on Jan. 27.
Parker Renelt
Chairman, Bremen School Committee
Chairman, School Union 74
Chairman, Reorganization Planning Committee
