BELFAST, Maine — The first board of directors for the newly formed Regional School District 71 has chosen a familiar face to be its interim school superintendent — Bruce Mailloux of Swanville, the former head of RSU 20.
“The main thing is there’s so much that actually has to be done by July 1,” David Crabiel, chairman of the new Belfast-area school district, said Wednesday. “He’s a good choice. He knows the schools, knows the administration.”
Mailloux was hired for the interim post at Monday night’s board meeting, the second ever for the district. He will work for the district until July 1, at a rate of $500 per day, with a maximum pay of $25,000, Crabiel said, adding that the board will undertake a major search for a permanent superintendent beginning in late February.
“We’re not limiting it to just Maine,” he said. “We’re going to set up a committee to do the search, with board members, parents, members of the public. Public input and transparency is really important to us.”
Mailloux retired in 2012 from RSU 20 after spending five years at the helm of the then nine-town district made up of Belfast, Belmont, Frankfort, Morrill, Northport, Searsmont, Searsport, Stockton Springs and Swanville — communities brought together after the passage of the unpopular 2008 school consolidation law. Since then, the district has undergone some major changes. Frankfort was first to withdraw from RSU 20, followed last fall by Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Northport, Searsmont and Swanville. Voters from Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Searsmont and Swanville decided to form the new RSU 71.
“I think we’re all looking forward to having the whole consolidation-deconsolidation business behind us,” Mailloux said. “It’s been stressful. It hasn’t worked out the way some people thought it would. I think we have an opportunity here to get things back on a positive stretch, and even better than they were.”
Mailoux said he is not interested in applying for the permanent superintendent position, and will continue to work as a part-time superintendent on Vinalhaven.
“I have a good feeling about the RSU 71 board, I really do,” Mailloux said. “They’re excited. They understand the issues going on in the communities, in terms of finance. They also understand the passion for a high-quality school system.”
Meanwhile, the board members of RSU 71 decided to hold weekly meetings at 7 p.m. on Mondays because “there’s so much to do,” Crabiel said.
Most of the time the board will meet at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast. Those interested can peruse the agendas for the meetings at the district’s new website, RSU71.org.