By Ben Austin
Staff Writer
Although thoughts of consolidation of schools around the area have been in the minds of all parents and voters of the Southern Aroostook for the past couple years, it is hard to think that anyone is quite ready to have the issue put in front of them as a referendum vote as soon as November.
The Regional Planning Committee, which is comprised of school board members throughout the area, has been holding public meetings to discuss a consolidation plan for just under a year. The RPC plan was completed at the end of July, and put on the school board agenda of each the five schools involved over the last two weeks. The districts involved include SAD 29, in Houlton, SAD 70, in Hodgdon, CSD 9, in Dyer Brook, SAD 14, in Danforth, and SAD 25, in Stacyville.
Each board voted individually to send the proposed plan for consolidation to the state, which will eventually put the plan into a referendum vote, leaving the final decision up to the voters within each town.
Although each board selected to accept the plan, the voting was not consistent between each district. SAD 29 and SAD 25 voted unanimously accept the plan, CSD 9 passed it with a vote of 5-1, SAD 14 with a 3-1 vote, and finally SAD 70 narrowly passed the regionalization plan with a vote of 6-5.
"I think my board probably reflected more of the true feelings of members of the community… There’s not a lot in that plan that addresses what the schools will gaining educationally wise. It’s based on the governance and you’re going to save some money there as you play out the years, but on the other hand there is going to be an increase in other areas too so I don’t see cost savings for these districts. The plan doesn’t address, really, how it’s going to affect kids’ educations. But I’m thinking with the RSU board, that that’s going to fall into their hands,” stated Superintendent of SAD 70, Robert McDaniel.
One issue that the school boards, as well as the superintendents, have with the plan is the thought of bringing in another school’s debt, with the already struggling economy and tight budgets.
“If the program goes through right now with no changes, if everything stays status quo, there will be a slight increase to the tax payers of Danforth and Weston. If they work on the concept of consolidating schools and consolidating issues I can foresee that all towns will be reduced in taxes,” stated SAD 14 Superintendent Bill Dobbins.
Nearly all fingers seem to be pointed toward SAD 29 in the issue of debt. The debt that most other districts are looking at, and afraid of picking up, is that which stems from Houlton’s $2.5 million renovations and the planned addition of a new arts center.
“Some people probably won’t be as happy, because we are debt free, and of course we’ll be absorbing some of that debt. They are looking at the whole renovation of the high school … so as far as debt goes [Houlton] would be the highest,” said McDaniel.
However, SAD 29 Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick feels that his district would also take a hit financially, due to the other schools in the area being over the state Essential Programs and Services Funding, which is based on the effectiveness of the school’s spending, according to its size.
“Efficiency by numbers are more inherit, however, it still, even though it is going to take a longer period of time, going to cause a cost shift from Houlton to the other regions, if they don’t curb costs. Our district is one of the most efficient, if not the most efficient in the region,” said Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick also mentioned that, while Houlton currently is putting money towards the renovations and additions, other schools are going to need to do the same in the future, which will cost the taxpayers in the end regardless of whether it comes in the next year or later in the future.
“SAD 29 will bring debt to the area, but the piece of it is, despite that debt, we have put those payments into the budget and we still are, with those debts, at or just slightly above EPS. As we move forward into the new RSU there is going to be needs of buildings and need for maintaining buildings, such that while it may be Houlton that will have just completed its renovations … other schools needs and maintenance needs are going to be coming forward and those are going to have to be dealt with as well,” stated Fitzpatrick.
One other big issue on the minds of the smaller schools involved in the consolidation plan is the thought of shutting down school buildings in the future to make the overall district more efficient.
“I think down the road, in order to save money, in my opinion, schools will be closed, and that’s a detriment, because some of these communities are going to lose their schools and in doing that they will lose their identity, or they will reconfigure them, maybe not close them,”stated McDaniel.
However, even with all the questions dealing with the financial aspects and identities of the schools, each superintendent saw some possibility for upside in collaboration between schools.
“We certainly might be able to share expertise in the region better than we do now. Sometimes some diversity makes good sense. I think that we would maybe have more offerings. Obviously with new technology that we’re getting … we’ll make some difference,” state CSD 9 Superintendent Terry Comeau.
For more information on the reorganization plan drawn up by the Regional Planning Committee contact your local superintendent’s office.