New SAD plan stirs hot debate Katahdin-area towns mull new district

EAST MILLINOCKET – Emotions ran high during the recent unveiling of a new model school administrative district for Katahdin area towns.

It quickly turned into a debate, with some residents accusing Millinocket of trying to pawn its school debt off on other taxpayers and take over their schools. Later, officials said that was not the case.

“You people are trying to sell us people in East Millinocket and Medway something that isn’t going to go,” said Paul Farrington, a Medway resident. “Why don’t you leave us alone … and let us carry on. When you fellows are done drinking your champagne, try a glass of beer.”

At one point, Dave Rush, an East Millinocket school board member, told Farrington to go back to Medway after he spoke without being recognized.

Loud applause rang in an area of the room when Dr. Walter McIntire of Portland, an education consultant hired to study school consolidation, said he resented Larry MacKenzie’s comments. MacKenzie, an East Millinocket school board member chairing the meeting, accused McIntire of tailoring the report to favor Millinocket. “It looks like the people who paid for this are getting what they want,” he said.

Some residents said the report failed to list shortcomings such as the loss of local control about decisions, buildings, spending and that small towns would be outvoted by larger ones. Some suggested less drastic options be tried first.

Proponents said declining populations mean lower student enrollments, less state subsidy, fewer student programs and higher taxes.

More than 75 area residents gathered in the high school auditorium last week to learn about the proposed new SAD. Millinocket and School Union 113 (East Millinocket, Medway and Woodville) administrators developed it.

McIntire, who last month recommended East Millinocket, Medway and Millinocket form a school administrative district, presented information about the SAD.

Under the proposal, Millinocket’s Stearns High School would be the area high school. East Millinocket’s Schenck High School would be the middle school. Millinocket’s Granite Street School would continue to serve elementary pupils there.

The plan for East Millinocket, Medway and Woodville elementary pupils could include: closing Opal Myrick School in East Millinocket and adding extra space to the Medway Middle School to house all pupils; or housing some of the pupils in a wing of the Opal Myrick school and the remainder at Medway Middle School. McIntire recommended the Opal Myrick school be closed to avoid spending more than $1 million for repairs and about $200,000 a year in operating costs.

He estimated the new school district would save taxpayers of three towns between $500,000 and $1,199,600. Savings would be: $198,500 to $476,000 for East Millinocket; $53,250 to $127,800 for Medway; and $248,250 to $595,800 for Millinocket. McIntire said the range in savings depended on how much student programs were expanded.

As for the credibility of the figures, Millinocket Superintendent Brent Colbry said the information came from current budgets.

Sandra MacArthur, Union 113 superintendent, said she did not support the model. “I am not convinced that there is a savings,” said MacArthur. “These numbers are meaningless until you put together a budget … I’m not convinced that consolidation is the way to go for School Union 113.”

McIntire said an SAD would bring $431,959 in savings in administration costs by eliminating 5.3 positions and six of the current 15 school board seats.

The new SAD would be governed by a new school board representing the three towns. Some residents expressed concern about the new SAD board making future decisions about closing schools rather than the individual towns.

McIntire said student teacher ratios are: 1-14 to 1-11 for kindergarten through grade five; 1-14 to 1-12 from grades six to eight; and 1-15 to 1-13 for grades nine through 12. The model called for 106 to 123 teachers. Now, there are 123.5.

Some residents asked whether each town could be responsible for its own school debt. Colbry said the new SAD would be responsible to pay the debt. School debt in the three towns now totals $8.2 million. Millinocket has $6.5 million; East Millinocket has $1,562,556; and Medway has $72,822.

McIntire said the costs for school retirees’ health benefits were municipal obligations. He said the only way to continue school consolidation efforts was to obtain agreements from the towns that they would continue to pay those costs.