By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HODGDON — The wheels have now been set in motion for SAD 70 to pull out of the consolidated school unit it formed with SAD 14 two years ago.
Voters in SAD 70 (Hodgdon, New Limerick, Ludlow, Linneus, Amity, Cary and Haynesville) voted 115-6 to withdraw from the school union during a district-wide referendum vote Feb. 5.
A detailed breakdown of the vote is as follows: Amity (4 yes votes and 2 no votes); Cary (6 yes, zero no); Haynesville (8 yes, 1 no); Hodgdon (50 yes, zero no); Linneus (21 yes, zero no); Ludlow (13 yes, zero no); and New Limerick (13 yes, 3 no).
The withdrawal goes into effect July 1.
SAD 70 and SAD 14, as well as Orient and Bancroft formed AOS 48 in January, 2011. At the time the AOS was formed, the state was punishing all small school districts (less than 1,000 students) with a monetary penalty that did not consolidate in some manner.
By not consolidating, SAD 14 was penalized $23,000 in 2010-11, while SAD 70 was penalized $93,000 for not conforming to the state’s consolidation wishes. Those districts were told the penalties would increase each year as long as they remained as stand-alone entities. The state has since abolished those penalties.
In December, SAD 70’s school board unanimously voted to begin the withdrawal process.
AOS 48 Superintendent Bob McDaniel, said the next step would be for SAD 70 to begin searching for a new superintendent, director of special services and secretary for the central office to be in place by July 1. McDaniel tendered his resignation as AOS 48 superintendent in December, 2012, but has not ruled out re-applying to be SAD 70’s superintendent.
“There’s no law that says you have to readvertise positions in the central office,” McDaniel said. “That will be a decision that the (SAD 70) school board will have to make.”
The board previously asked McDaniel if he would be willing to stay on as the SAD 70 superintendent. At that time, McDaniel said he would not answer that question because he did not want that answer to be a deciding factor into whether they pulled out of AOS 48.
Now that the withdrawal has happened, McDaniel said he was keeping all of his options open.
“If they (SAD 70) ask me to stay, I will give them my answer at that time,” he said. “Right now, I honestly don’t know.”
McDaniel has served as SAD 70’s superintendent for the past eight years.
SAD 14 (Danforth), Orient and Bancroft could opt to remain as AOS 48, McDaniel said, but SAD 14 has already voted to pursue withdrawing from the AOS. Orient and Bancroft will likely follow suit, McDaniel said. The groups would need to disband the AOS prior to May 2 to meet the criteria set forth by the state of having 60 days prior to the start of the next fiscal year.
A new or interim superintendent will be needed to oversee Danforth. Prior to the consolidation, SAD 14 employed a part-time superintendent. Orient and Bancroft tuition their students to whichever school district they choose.
