http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20140226-NEWS-140229792
By Jennifer Feals
jfeals@seacoastonline.com
February 26, 2014 4:08 PM
KENNEBUNK — Cut costs, eliminate a standalone performing arts center and turf field at Kennebunk High School, and explore school configuration.
These were the sentiments of some residents who spoke during a public forum held Tuesday night by the RSU 21 Board of Directors, the first since a $75 million plan to renovate Kennebunk High School, Mildred L. Day School and Kennebunkport Consolidated School failed by a 2-to-1 margin on Jan. 21. While the district’s Board of Directors and Facilities Committee have met since the January referendum and have begun discussing how to move forward, this was the first meeting focused on public input.
“I think most people understood a ‘yes’ vote, but there were many, many reasons people voted ‘no’ and it’s important to get an understanding of what some of those ‘no’ votes were about,” said Kennebunk resident Rachel Phipps Costin.
More than 50 residents of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel as well as town officials attended the forum held at Kennebunk Elementary School on Tuesday night. Among the public input was a desire to see the cost to renovate the facilities drop by $15 million to $25 million, the possibility of bringing each building project to the voters separately, even putting forward separate warrant articles on portions of the project like athletic improvements, and proposals for exploring school configuration.
For some, the $75 million price tag was just too high.
“I am a graduate of KHS and I think we need a new high school. That being said, I think we need to be concerned about the dollar value and I think that’s one of the main reasons that the voters voted this down,” said Kennebunk Selectman Dave Spofford. “It was just too large a number.”
Arundel resident Jack Reetz, a former board member who serves on the RSU’s Facilities Committee, feels the $75 million price is “just right.”
“The costs are real. By the same token, nobody wants increased taxes but there’s no free lunch and if we’re going to do it and if we’re going to do it right, then it’s going to be in that order of magnitude,” Reetz said. “I would suggest let’s do it once and let’s do it right. It doesn’t make much sense to cut back.”
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
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Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
http://www.rsu21.net/rsu-21-feedback
On January 21, 2014, the voters of RSU 21 rejected the district's proposal to borrow just under $75 million to renovate Kennebunk High School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School, and Mildred L. Day School.
In an attempt to gather as much feedback as possible as to what type of plan would be more acceptable to the citizens of our three towns, we are providing this opportunity for you to submit your ideas and suggestions.
Your submission will be read by the administration and members of the facilities committee as they develop a plan for a future referendum.
Ckick here to submit your feedback, concerns and ideas...
On January 21, 2014, the voters of RSU 21 rejected the district's proposal to borrow just under $75 million to renovate Kennebunk High School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School, and Mildred L. Day School.
In an attempt to gather as much feedback as possible as to what type of plan would be more acceptable to the citizens of our three towns, we are providing this opportunity for you to submit your ideas and suggestions.
Your submission will be read by the administration and members of the facilities committee as they develop a plan for a future referendum.
Ckick here to submit your feedback, concerns and ideas...
Hussey: Cut $15M from school plan, drop arts center
KENNEBUNK — Renovations to Kennebunk High School, Mildred L. Day School and Kennebunkport Consolidated School should cost no more than $60 million, voters should have a say on elementary school configuration, and RSU 21 should terminate its partnership with the Southern Maine Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, says the chairman of the district's Facilities Committee.
These are some of the recommendations Tim Hussey made during Thursday's committee meeting - the second since a $75 million plan to renovate Kennebunk High School, Mildred L. Day School and Kennebunkport Consolidated School failed. Hussey said it's pretty clear that proposal failed because the scope of the projects was too big.
“If we do reduce the scope I think we can get this passed,” Hussey said.
In
a series of recommendations on how the district should move forward,
Hussey suggested the committees reviewing each of the projects return to
the drawing board and come back with proposals for no more than $45 at
KHS, $10 million at ML Day, and $4 million at Consolidated.
While members of the committee discussed aspects of Hussey's recommendations before an audience of approximately a dozen residents, the group made no decisions and will meet again on Friday, Feb. 28.
RSU 21 board regroups after $75M plan fails
KENNEBUNK — During the first meeting of the RSU 21 Board of Directors since voters turned down the $75 million renovation plan, residents nodded their heads as a board member noted reasons the plan may have failed.
Director Amy Johnson said she was approached everywhere from restaurants to social media to the grocery store leading up to the January vote, and said residents shared their oppositions for a variety of reasons. Voters rejected the $75 million proposal - to renovate Kennebunk High School, Mildred L. Day School and Kennebunkport Consolidated School – by a more than 2-to-1 ratio, with a total of 4,870 votes against and 2,110 votes in favor of the renovations.
“It’s everything from the turf field, they didn’t like the January vote, frankly it’s too much, they didn’t want their taxes raised, they didn’t understand the difference between the arts center and an auditorium, they didn’t like the expanded arts center plan. I think there were some people that just voted no the first time because they wanted to see what we could come up with the second time,” Johnson said. “People in the audience are nodding saying they fell into some of these categories. One of those things touched everyone in this room.”
Community members, town officials and school staff filled the meeting room at Kennebunk Elementary School, where the board met for more than two-and-a-half hours, after an hour-long work-session. The work session focused on board members’ involvement in social media and using it as a resource to share information.
Looking at ways to get a closer look on why residents voted the way they did, the board voted to explore a community survey. They also discussed holding community forums, and starting an online discussion forum.
Town hall location selected
Although another option is left open, Arundel selectmen pinpoint a Limerick Road site
ARUNDEL — The board of selectmen voted Monday night to move forward with plans to build a new town hall on Limerick Road while also keeping the option of a Bergeron Road location open.
The decision by the board came after a survey was sent out by town administration in early December asking residents specifics about the prospect of a new town hall and the favored location.
Given four possible locations for a new town hall – Limerick Road, Bergeron Drive, Route 111 and Route 1 – residents voted in favor of a Limerick Road location. Residents who participated (approximately 140) also voted that construction costs for a new town hall should fall between $1 million and $2 million.
At the Feb. 10 meeting, Ryan Senatore of Senatore Architecture and Will Conway of Sebago Technics presented information about the Limerick Road lot and a proposed building layout to the board.
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RSU 21 schedules public forum for Feb. 25
http://post.mainelymediallc.com/news/2014-02-14/Community/RSU_21_schedules_public_forum_for_Feb_25.html
The RSU 21 Board of School Directors will hold a public forum Tuesday, Feb. 25 for the purpose of receiving public input regarding facilities challenges that are facing the district.The forum will allow the public the opportunity to share their ideas about how the board should develop capital plans for consideration by the voters. The forum will be held in the gymnasium at Kennebunk Elementary School beginning at 6 p.m.
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Message from voters was clear
http://post.mainelymediallc.com/news/2014-02-14/Letters/Message_from_voters_was_clear.html
To the editor:
It would seem that our RSU 21 board could benefit from this advice. At its meeting on Feb. 3, considerable time was spent dealing with the resounding defeat of a $75 million spending question, one of the single largest school bond requests in Maine history that experienced an unprecedented turnout for a single-issue, off-cycle vote in of all months, January.
That townsfolk among our three RSU communities “misunderstood” the well meaning message to approve the spending seems logical to our board.
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Assistant superintendent to retire
http://post.mainelymediallc.com/news/2014-02-14/Front_Page/Assistant_superintendent_to_retire.html
By Alex Acquisto
KENNEBUNK – After serving the district for nearly eight years, Assistant Superintendent Sara Zito is retiring. The announcement was made by Superintendent Andrew Dolloff at the Feb. 3 school board meeting – just before Dolloff publicly announced his resignation.
Zito has been assistant superintendent for RSU 21 since 2011; before that she was the principal of Kennebunk Elementary School for five years.
“She is the consummate professional,” Dolloff said of Zito, with whom he has worked for three years. “You know she cares deeply about students and their academic, social, and emotional progress, and she has a tremendous wealth of knowledge about how to reach students and the type of programming that would be beneficial to them.”
“She came to us with a teaching and leadership background that took her from New York to Seattle to Kenya and New Delhi,” Dolloff said. “Her experience, knowledge and compassion are just a few of the tremendous things she can bring to the table. I’m very happy for her that she’s able to do this now while she still has a tremendous amount of energy and good health,” Dolloff said.
Zito, perhaps unlike other assistant superintendents, opts for a very hands-on approach.
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Dolloff leaving RSU 21
KENNEBUNK — RSU 21 Superintendent Andrew Dolloff has accepted a position as superintendent of the Yarmouth School District effective July 1.
Dolloff, who joined the district in June of 2009, said the decision was both a personal and professional one and that there is much he would like to accomplish during his remaining five months in RSU 21.
Community members and school officials say there is no doubt that Dolloff's departure from RSU 21 is a loss to the district and the community.
“I am very sorry for the district, the community, and especially our students, that Andrew will be leaving,” said school board director Tim Hussey. “He has unique leadership skills and has done an outstanding job here. He will be missed, for sure, but has made a major impact and will leave us in great shape.”
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