Special to The Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE – The SAD 1 and SAD 32 boards of directors have approved submission of a reorganization plan to the state commissioner of education, but that doesn’t mean the boards approve of the plan. “This is not a good law, (but) … we have responded as we have to respond,” said Charlie Anderson, SAD 1 business manager.
The reorganization plan was prepared in accordance with the controversial state law that requires all school districts in the state with enrollments of less than 2,500 students to come up with a plan to consolidate with other “small” districts (Regional School Units, or RSUs). The legislature had voted to repeal the law in the face of public outcry, but the repeal was vetoed by the governor.
SAD 1, with an enrollment of 2,100 students, did ask to be exempted from the law and submitted an alternative plan, said Gehrig Johnson, superintendent of SADs 1 and 32, but the education commissioner rejected both the district’s request and proposal. Instead, the district was instructed to investigate consolidation with SAD 32.
“The commissioner knows what our position is,” said Johnson. “We’ve been up front from the beginning.”
There are 13 sections to the plan, covering everything from who is covered, how money will be collected and spent, and who will have ownership of property currently owned by either district.
“We have complied with the minimum requirements of the law with this plan,” Anderson said. “It’s fairly concise.”
Section 1 states who is involved. In addition to SAD 1 and SAD 32, Nashville Plantation would be part of the RSU, a late request from the state. Nashville Plantation is not currently part of any school district and tuitions its students (seven this year) to SAD 32.
Section 2 sets out what the “new” board of directors would look like. “This is where the rubber meets the road,” Johnson said. Seven sub-districts would be created based on population, and each would have one representative on the consolidated board of directors. The sub-districts would be:
• Subdistrict 1: Ashland, Garfield, Masardis, Nashville Plantation, Oxbow, Portage Lake (population 2,316).
• Subdistrict 2: Castle Hill and Mapleton (population 2,343).
• Subdistrict 3: Chapman, Westfield and part of Presque Isle (population 2,484).
• Subdistricts 4-7: Presque Isle (population 8,051).
Section 3 addresses voting power. Each RSU director would have a weighted vote based on the population of their sub-district.
Section 4 addresses local school committees, but the RSU committee opted not to include local committees.
Section 5 deals with ownership of property. If the RSU is created, then all property “goes into one pot,” Anderson said. “It will be joint ownership.” The same goes with all debts, as stated in Section 6.
Section 7 addresses contracts for staff and services. Ultimately, there will be one contract for each bargaining unit (ex. teachers, bus drivers). The plan sets out dates for when each set of contracts will expire and be consolidated. For example, as of Aug. 15, 2010, there would be one contract for all teachers, nurses, guidance personnel and librarians.
Section 8 deals with disposition of funds. “It’s very lengthy legalese,” Anderson admitted. It boils down to this: “all money left over on June 30, 2009 goes into the RSU pot.”
Section 9 addresses the transition plan from individual districts to the RSU. “This is already spelled out in the law,” Anderson said.
Section 10 documents what public hearings or meetings were held to prepare and review the plan.
Section 11 explains what will happen if the residents of either SAD 1 or SAD 32 reject the plan. “(The RSU) won’t happen,” Anderson said.
Section 12 details the cost savings gained by creation of the RSU. Johnson noted that with exception of transportation costs in SAD 32, there would not be any savings to either district. In fact, there would be a net administrative cost increase of $130,000 over three years just to set up the RSU.
“SAD 1 and 32 have already taken steps to reorganize and save costs,” Anderson said. Specifically, the districts share an administrative team, headed by Johnson. “Our savings have already been realized” without consolidation.
Section 13 is split into eight subsections that deal with all other issues, such as transportation, special education, cost sharing, elections, pending insurance claims, and tuition for out-of-district students.
“There are many items (in this plan) to raise individual eyebrows,” Anderson said.
“There’s not much heart in going forward,” Johnson later added. He said at the SAD 32 board of directors meeting last week, there were many reservations and objections to the plan, but like SAD 1, the board voted to send it to the commissioner because that is what the state requires.
“There’s not much in it for them to like from their point of view,” he said. “The feeling is, let’s just get this to referendum.”
Public hearings will be scheduled soon so that residents of both districts and Nashville Plantation can hear more details and ask questions.
