School unions 76, 93 begin consolidation

SEDGWICK – Despite obvious reluctance among many of the participants, delegates from school unions 76 and 93 on Monday began the process of creating a new regional school district as required by state law.

Union 93, which represents the towns of Blue Hill, Brooksville, Castine, and Penobscot, and Union 76, which comprises Brooklin, Sedgwick, Deer Isle and Stonington, have indicated an intent to form an RSU that also will include the town of Surry. Surry has so far kept its options open, but sent representatives to the meeting. A representative from Bucksport also attended.

Participants were hampered somewhat by a lack of information from the state. Although the state education department has provided financial information for an RSU including the eight union towns, Union 76 Superintendent Robert Webster said he has not been able to get information that figures in Surry, which was included in the original state recommendation for the RSU.

Art Wittine, superintendent for Union 93, noted that he had requested the assistance of a state-appointed facilitator to work with the unions through the process, but has not yet received a response from the department. Pressed into service, Rep. Jim Schatz, who represents the region, agreed to contact the commissioner in an effort to move the information gathering process forward.

By consensus, the combined group, which includes school committee members, selectmen and community representatives from each of the towns, elected Mary Cummins of Brooklin, who chairs the Union 76 joint school committee, and Ben Wooten, who chairs the Blue Hill school committee, as co-chairs of the combined committee. The group also agreed to establish a number of committees to investigate issues related to consolidation, but it became clear that the key concern at this point was how the consolidation will affect each individual town financially.

“Right now, the one and only thing we’re interested in is a true understanding of the financial ramifications of this process,” said Tom Gutow, chair of the Castine School Committee.

If the finance picture shows that it actually will cost more to participate in an RSU, Gutow said, three or more towns may decide not to participate, which would change all the figures for the remaining towns.

One question that went unanswered, among others, revolved around the eventual town votes that will take place to approve participation in a new RSU. If two or three towns reject participating, are the other towns still bound by their positive votes since the RSU they voted to approve would then be changed?

Webster presented preliminary figures based on the state template using financial information from the eight towns in the two unions. Although he acknowledged that the complicated procedure required some “educated guesses,” Webster’s figures showed that the new RSU would need to raise about $1.4 million more than they raised for the 2007-2008 school year. Under that scenario, some towns would pay less than they now do, but most of the eight towns would see an increase in the amounts they need to raise.

Likewise, participants questioned the state’s aggressive timeline, which set an initial vote on the new RSUs for December, and they balked at trying to rush to meet those deadlines.

“They are ridiculous,” said Paul Bowen, a selectman in Penobscot. “They were set up so that this would proceed without being examined. That should give us incentive to examine this.”

Others suggested that the towns “delay, delay, delay” the process. Brooklin resident Hendrik Gideonse urged the committee members to take as much time as they need to understand the criteria by which they will evaluate participating in the RSU. He also suggested that criteria include more than just finances and should involve a review of the impact on educational quality and the importance of local schools in the individual communities.

The committee members also balked at trying at this point to establish a schedule for public information meetings.

“It will probably be a long time before we have anything to discuss with them,” said Walter Kumiega, chairman of the Deer Isle-Stonington School Committee.

Members signed up for committee assignments ranging from transportation and governance to building maintenance and special education. The full committee agreed to meet on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Sedgwick school. Subcommittees will schedule their own meetings.