HOWLAND – SAD 31 has a little more than three months to come up with a concept for a new high school and a partnering school district if people there want to be able to tap the $9.5 million in earmarked funds for the project from the Department of Education.

At an informational meeting Thursday night, Jean Gulliver, chairwoman of the state board of education, said the panel will begin reviewing new applications in June for capital projects and that holding resources for SAD 31 makes it hard to help other needy communities. The district could ensure the funding by committing to a concept, a neighbor with whom to partner and a timeline for the plan, Gulliver said.

“As long as you’re moving on a plan, your resources will hold,” Gulliver said to more than 200 people gathered in the Penobscot Valley High School gymnasium.

Gulliver wouldn’t say specifically what type of partnership the state board would approve, but Education Commissioner Sue Gendron said consolidating with another district into a new school district or forming a community school district at the high school level with another district would be acceptable options. Both she and Gulliver said that SAD 67 (Lincoln area) and SAD 41 (Milo area) would be acceptable partners.

In April 2002, SAD 31 received site approval from the state board to build a new high school to replace PVHS. After concept approval was denied and the state withheld funding earmarked for the project in 2003, the state board directed the district to study the feasibility of sending its 234 high school students to Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln.

Regardless of the configuration that a partnership takes, the high school that supports students in SAD 31 needs to maintain 300 students, Gendron said. PVHS is expected to enroll closer to 200 by the end of the decade, she said.

“The enrollments aren’t there to sustain a high school in Howland,” Gendron said.

Gulliver pointed out that the money set aside for a new high school would follow the students, regardless of where they were educated. For example, the money could be used to enhance the facilities at Mattanawcook Academy if SAD 31 merged with Lincoln, she said.

A number of district taxpayers said they felt like they were being rushed into a plan.

“I personally feel we need to do a thorough study of how this will affect each community,” said David Saucier. Some residents said they believed they were being forced into consolidation. Gendron replied by saying that any partnership is voluntary and neither she nor the state board is mandating it.

Time may running out, according to Superintendent William Ziemer, who said it potentially could take two years for a new facility to be constructed.

“If a new facility is two years out, we may not be able to afford what we already have two years from now,” Ziemer said. “We are in an economic crisis.”