By JEFF LAGASSE
Staff Writer http://www.journaltribune.com/
ARUNDEL — Arundel’s relationship with Regional School
Unit 21 is being held under the microscope.
Thanks to the efforts of a group headed by resident and volunteer firefighter David Lane, a petition may be submitted to the town early next year that would establish a Special Town Meeting vote to gauge public reaction to the possibility of divorcing the town from the RSU.
Until Wednesday night, the town had been poised to send out a request for proposals for the commission of a cost study to determine whether secession from the school district would in fact be cheaper for taxpayers.
But those plans were put on hold during a meeting of the board of selectmen Wednesday night, when town officials decided to put a temporary halt to the RFP and instead hold a public workshop to discuss the petition process. Arundel residents are welcome to attend the workshop, which will be held during the next scheduled board meeting at Mildred L. Day Memorial School on Monday, Dec. 12.
Thanks to the efforts of a group headed by resident and volunteer firefighter David Lane, a petition may be submitted to the town early next year that would establish a Special Town Meeting vote to gauge public reaction to the possibility of divorcing the town from the RSU.
Until Wednesday night, the town had been poised to send out a request for proposals for the commission of a cost study to determine whether secession from the school district would in fact be cheaper for taxpayers.
But those plans were put on hold during a meeting of the board of selectmen Wednesday night, when town officials decided to put a temporary halt to the RFP and instead hold a public workshop to discuss the petition process. Arundel residents are welcome to attend the workshop, which will be held during the next scheduled board meeting at Mildred L. Day Memorial School on Monday, Dec. 12.
This article contains a lot of inaccurate information about the process for withdrawal.
ReplyDeleteFor example; the town meeting is not to gauge public reaction, it also referred to a 60 percent vote at a town meeting, it is a secret ballot vote by a simple majority to direct the selectman to form a committee.
That committee's responsibility is not to decide if it would be beneficial to withdraw, that committee's responsibility would be to create a plan to withdraw.
Not to make recommendations.
Once the plan is approved by the DOE, negotiations would begin with the RSU, the final plan would then go to a secret ballot vote. Not at a town meeting.
The last vote would be in the town seeking withdrawal not the entire RSU, That secret ballot vote would require a 2/3 majority.
Here is the link to the law, read it carefully and get the accurate info.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec1466.html
" This article contains a lot of inaccurate information about the process for withdrawal.
ReplyDeleteFor example it referred to a 60 percent vote at a town meeting, it is a secret ballot vote by a simple majority to direct the selectman to form a committee.
That committee's responsibility is not to decide if it would be beneficial to withdraw, that committee's responsibility would be to create a plan to withdraw.
Not to make recommendations.
Once the plan is approved by the DOE, negotiations would begin with the RSU, the final plan would then go to a secret ballot vote. Not at a town meeting.
The last vote would be in the town seeking withdrawal not the entire RSU, That secret ballot vote would require a 2/3 majority.
Here is the link to the law, read it carefully and get the accurate info.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec1466.html "