York Town News
York looks to Kittery, Wells-Ogunquit as consolidation options
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - The work has begun.
Just this month, the York School Department learned it had been matched with Kittery in a mandated consolidation plan to reduce the number of school districts statewide.
And while the York and Kittery School Departments begin to look at whether they can achieve cost savings by combining into one regionalized school district, the School Committee announced last week that it will also explore the possibility of a merger with the Wells-Ogunquit schools.
That being said, the voters may determine an opt-out provision is still the best choice for York, but School Committee members explained the state requires each community to make a "good faith" effort to explore consolidation.
Attending the June 20 meeting in place of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione who had a prior commitment, York School Department Curriculum Coordinator Dr. Maryann Minard said the consolidation work is now underway.
"Obviously, this will continue to be an ongoing discussion," she told the School Committee, explaining that York has been approached by Kittery to begin talks and the two districts were looking at scheduling dates for that process to begin. "We have to make sure that we exercise due diligence in looking at all types of solutions."
Minard said the department is also requesting a meeting with Wells-Ogunquit in an effort to demonstrate to the state that the town is considering all alternatives as part of the planning process.
On July 9 at 7 p.m., a regional school consolidation meeting is scheduled to be held in Sanford. School Committee Chairwoman Marilyn Zotos confirmed several members of the board are planning to attend that meeting, and that the School Committee also planned to meet as a full board with Kittery as the discussions move forward.
"We are in such a tight timeline that I think it's better that we do it sooner rather than later," she said, agreeing the town should kook at Kittery and its other neighboring communities as well. "I know, based on what I've read, that Wells-Ogunquit has conversed with Kennebunk ... but there's nothing in this bill that says you can't talk with anyone else."
And while both the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen have deep concerns about the financial and educational impact of the consolidation plan, they agree the legislation as passed is a vast improvement over Gov. John Baldacci's original proposal, which would have included York in an 18-town district centering on Sanford.
"It's night and day," Zotos said, adding, "that being said, it's still requiring us to do something that a lot of people have issue with."
The cost to York is estimated at about $1 million if the town votes not to consolidate with another district. School Committee member John D'Aquila pointed out that if York does move in that direction, the reduction in state aid is expected to take effect in fiscal 2010.
Opponents to the state-mandated consolidation have pointed out that a requirement to turn all town-owned school buildings over to a regional district, while the town continues to pay the debt on those facilities, would outweigh the projected loss in state funding.
"We have to look at it and decide as a community - not as a school board - how we feel about moving forward," Zotos said.
