STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine — Residents will decide on Election Day whether they want to close down the Regional School Unit 20 withdrawal committee or not.
The committee was formed in March 2014 after residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of moving forward with plans to leave the district, but RSU 20 has changed — and downsized — dramatically since then. The former member communities of Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Northport, Searsmont and Swanville have all separated from the district, leaving only Searsport and Stockton Springs in RSU 20.
The October-November newsletter from Stockton Springs Town Manager Marnie Diffin encouraged residents to come to the polls. She did not take a position in the newsletter but indicated that a “yes” vote on the RSU 20 question will mean the town will remain with the school district. A “no” vote means the town will negotiate leaving RSU 20.
This spring, a mailer sent to residents from town officials encouraged them to vote against terminating the withdrawal committee. At that time, Selectman Lesley Cosmano told the BDN that the select board did not mean to indicate dissatisfaction with the school district but instead just wanted the town to keep its options open, and described the withdrawal committee as a “safety valve” for the town.
“You have it there for protection. It’s like a fire extinguisher. It’s just a comfort to know it’s there in case you do need it,” she said in June.
Efforts to reach Cosmano or other elected officials from Stockton Springs or RSU 20 on Friday were not immediately successful.
But Sharon Catus, a parent of two RSU 20 students and a former school board member from Stockton Springs, said Friday that she hopes town voters will turn out in force on Tuesday to dissolve the withdrawal committee and commit to the school district.
“There are really, really good things happening at Searsport [schools]. I think it’s really important to focus on that,” she said. “At this point, stability is a really good thing. Kids need to know where they’re going to school one year to the next.”
Catus said that the lingering threat of withdrawal means that parents, teachers and kids can’t relax about their education.
“I’m hoping we can put an end to this. I think it’s gone on long enough,” she said. “We need to say enough is enough and support RSU 20.”
Polls open at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the town office and close at 8 p.m.