YORK - Following a joint meeting of the York and Wells-Ogunquit School Committees, officials in both towns approved a preliminary progress report on the state's consolidation mandate to be forward to the Department of Education in Augusta.
Members of the York and Wells-Ogunquit Regional Planning Committee noted this step is required in the process and is just one of many before voters in all three communities will have the ultimate say, by June of 2008, as to whether their two school districts should be combined into one.
At the Nov. 26 meeting, members of the public had a chance to offer their comments after learning about the work to date of the Reorganization Planning Committee, more commonly known as the RPC.
David Wiggin, who is the Department of Education-appointed facilitator working with York and Wells-Ogunquit, praised the efforts of the committee and school officials.
"They have done a fantastic job," he said.
Residents from both communities, along with town and school representatives, serve on the RPC, and their consensus is that significant issues are facing all three communities and much work remains if the voters decide to consolidate.
In addition to meeting as a whole, the group has also formed subcommittees to explore such issues as how a new regional school committee would be created, how representation for each of the communities would be handled, what the legal ramifications might be - especially in York, where requirements in the state legislation usurp the power of the Budget Committee with respect to school funding - and the financial implications of consolidation.
"It's a very short timeline and a very huge task," said Maddie Buckless of York, a former Budget Committee member who serves as a citizen representative on the RPC.
She explained that the legislation calls for a 50-percent reduction in administration and a 5-percent reduction each in special education, transportation and maintenance spending.
"There's no way to make that work under the existing law to York's benefit," she said, though she described the work of the committee to date as "a very positive experience. I think that there has been a great deal of information being shared between the districts that probably wouldn't have happened otherwise. It's been fascinating."
That sentiment was echoed by other members of the committee, as the Wells-Ogunquit district is also facing significant increases in costs due to provisions in the legislation.
Damon Russell, who chairs the RPC, noted that it is expected the legislature may further change the statute once it convenes in January, and so the school consolidation effort remains a moving target.
"We hope we don't destroy the successes we're experiencing in our educational programs," he said of both districts.
York Selectman Dwight Bardwell, who serves on the RPC, said the committee's requirement is to follow the timeline and provisions of the legislation as written.
"That's what we've done, and in that there's no cost savings," he said of the work to date, adding there may be cost shifting from the state to communities or from one district to another, but to no savings for the York taxpayer.
In simple terms, he said, it will cost the town, annually, $1.1 million in the form of a cut to state educational aid if York opts out, but a minimum of $1.2 million if the town moves forward with consolidation.
Another concern is related to town-owned buildings, as the legislation has indicated individual communities must continue paying the bills for any school construction they funded, but that the ownership of the buildings may transfer to the new Regional School Unit.
"It's going to be a bitter pill to swallow when you look at the town of York taking $50 million in assets and handing them to a regional school unit while retaining $20 million in debt," said Steve Hamel, a citizen representative to the committee.
Several residents spoke during the public hearing on the process to date, and the consensus was that while consolidation in and of itself is not a negative, this is not the right plan for York, Ogunquit or Wells.
"This is a system that works best for the state, not for us," said Patty Hymanson. "If we're not going to improve education and we're not going to save money, I'm not sure why we're doing this here."
One week earlier, Bardwell updated the Board of Selectmen on the "bombshell" that came from legal counsel Bill Stockmeyer's discussion with the Budget Committee regarding the budget validation process required in the law.
According to the new law, the Regional School Committee will have 12 articles to be decided by a show-of-hands town meeting vote, followed up with a secret ballot vote. If the secret ballot vote does not affirm the show-of-hands vote, the process must be repeated until a budget is approved.
"There is tremendous impact on the charter, because the Budget Committee's oversight is now in question," Bardwell said, adding, "The legislation is so poorly written that the attorney couldn't really tell us who would present the budget to the town meeting."
Selectman Ted Little, who attended that meeting with Bardwell and Selectwoman Kinley Gregg, pointed out that York is unique among communities facing consolidation, as is evidenced by the impact of the new law on the town's charter.
Chairman Mike Estes agreed.
"If you keep siding with the state and agreeing to their bad legislation it's always going to be bad," he said.
Vice Chairman David Marshall added that York loses "all the way around" under the state's plan.
"I'd rather lose a million than to bear the cost" of consolidation, said York resident Charles Stacy, adding, "I can't understand how they can take our Budget Committee and just dissolve it. This is taking our town of York and turning it upside down."
The Wells-Ogunquit School Committee was scheduled to meet on Dec. 5, but that meeting occurred after press time. The next York School Committee meeting is scheduled for Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at the York Public Library.
