Fred Pelletier, Chairman of Limestone’s Board of Selectpeople, motioned that a letter to the RSU 39 requesting that they hold off on making any decisions regarding the transfer of Limestone’s High School students to Caribou during an Apr. 5 meeting be written by Town Manager Fred Ventresco as opposed to an attorney. (Christopher Bouchard)
LIMESTONE, Maine — The muffled sound of raised voices could be heard through a closed door in the Limestone Town Office during an emergency meeting of the Board of Selectpeople Monday afternoon, April 3 which was almost entirely held in executive session.
Selectpeople skipped the usual Pledge of Allegiance and prayer that precedes most meetings and went directly into executive session on Monday at 3 p.m., asking the public to wait outside while they discussed a letter, prepared by an attorney, which asks the RSU 39 School Board to hold off on making a decision to send the Limestone’s high school students to Caribou.
RSU 39 has brought the idea of bussing Limestone’s High School students in grades 9-12 to Caribou in the past, and Limestone residents were not receptive to the idea on both occasions. As a result, members of the town have circulated a petition (which the Selectpeople recently accepted), which involves initiating “the process to withdraw from RSU 39 in accordance with Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A: Education 1466: withdrawal of a single municipality from a regional school unit.”
RSU 39 Superintendent Tim Doak has cited state funding hurdles as a factor contributing to the decision and, during a recent public meeting at Limestone Community School, presented slides which indicate an approximate $600,935 annual savings associated with the proposed transfer.
During their private, hour-long discussion, Limestone Town Manager Fred Ventresco said town leaders decided not to use a letter prepared by an attorney, which would have been free of charge, and that he would instead write the letter.
“Is has been mentioned that the board has directed Fred (Ventresco) to drop the letter on behalf of all board members to give to Tim Doak before his school board meeting (to be held on April 5) about our thoughts and concerns about the closure of grades nine through 12 through the school year of 2017-18,” said Board of Selectpeople Chairman Fred Pelletier when the door reopened.
All voted in favor of Pelletier’s motion.
Ventresco added that he will instead be writing the letter via email, adding that it will be “straightforward” in its structure.
“The only thing reason we were in executive session was to discuss the attorney’s letter,” Ventresco said directly after the meeting. “We decided not to go with him, as I will be writing the letter.”
