Residents renew push to leave RSU

By Kristy Wagner

Staff Writer

 The school board recently reopened cost sharing negotiations for Regional School Unit 21, but Arundel residents said they still want out.

The regional school unit was established in January 2009 and includes Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.

The regional school unit school board voted to reopen the cost sharing issue in early December after Arundel selectmen sent a letter to the board requesting that it reexamine the cost sharing formula. 

Arundel selectmen said debt from improvements to school buildings would place the bulk of the cost load on Arundel taxpayers. State Sen. Nancy Sullivan (D-Biddeford) in January submitted a bill to legislature on behalf of Arundel for permission to withdraw from the regional school unit. The bill was voted “ought not to pass” and never made it out of committee.

Residents of Arundel on Dec. 12 ap-proached the Arundel Board of Selectmen to discuss their wish to begin the process to withdraw from RSU 21. Residents said they are ready to draw up the necessary petition to fulfill the first step of the process. 

A total of 189 registered voters who participated in the last gubernatorial election must sign the petition in order for the town to vote on whether they approve of the withdrawal petition and want to move forward with the next steps. 

Once residents collect the required 189 signatures, residents must vote to approve the petition to withdraw. The petition must pass by a simple majority vote.

After the petition passes, the question of whether the town actually wants to withdraw from the school unit must pass by a 2/3-majority vote of town residents.

“We’ll have no problem meeting the number of signatures,” said resident Paul Raymond. 

Raymond said he represents a group of residents who are anxious to begin the withdrawal process. He said residents want the board of selectmen to educate the general public about the process, not just the small percentage of residents with school-aged children.

“The issue is where my taxes are being spent,” Raymond said. “We’re talking about a huge tax burden to build a high school that we may not even go to.”

Town Manager Todd Shea said residents don’t feel the regional school unit’s board members hear their voices. He said Arundel’s complaints stem from more than just money concerns. Shea cited “control issues” as one area residents feel they are experiencing problems within the school unit.

“The residents feel that we don’t have the representation on the RSU board and the voice of the town of Arundel hasn’t been heard,” Shea said.

Three Arundel residents sit on the RSU 21 school board along with three from Kennebunkport and six from Kennebunk.

Shea said he hadn’t spoken with Maine Department of Education Management Information Systems Team Leader Jim Rier about Arundel’s potential withdrawal. He said a workshop on the withdrawal process is slated for Jan. 9.

“I want everyone to be on the same page and know what we’re dealing with as we move forward,” Shea said.

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