POLAND — Two attempts to take a vote on whether to keep three elementary schools open or reconfigure the schools and close Minot Consolidated School failed Monday night at the Regional School Unit 16 board of directors meeting.
Patrick Irish, Mechanic Falls representative to the board, motioned to put the question on the agenda following Assistant Superintendent Amy Hediger’s Steering Committee report that gave cost estimates for the two proposals, which showed an approximate $3.4 million difference between the two, on next year’s budget.
One would keep the district’s three elementary schools open while the other plan would close the Minot school and reconfigure grades in the two other schools, putting pre-kindergarten through second grade students at Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls and putting grades three through six students at Poland Community School.
Irish’s motion failed by 1 vote, 503 to 502, according to the district’s weighted system in which each Mechanic Falls director equals 57 votes, each Minot director is 50 votes, and each Poland director represents 94 votes. There are 15 total directors, five from each town.
Later in the meeting, Minot representative Elizabeth Martin made a second attempt to put the vote on the agenda; that motion failed by the same number, 503 to 502.
Discussion ensued that the vote should be taken earlier than initially planned in December so that costs associated with whichever option is approved can be budgeted for next year.
Superintendent Todd Sanders and Hediger agreed that a decision on the schools should be made as soon as possible.
Directors then approved a motion by Irish that directors meet next Monday to take up the question.
Hediger’s Steering Committee report estimated costs for the three-school proposal on next year’s budget would be $26 million; for the two-school reconfiguration proposal, $22.6 million. The numbers did not include costs beyond next year.
Sanders conducted a survey among 57 staff members and said most supported keeping the three-school option.
Chairwoman Mary Martin said, “Part of the point we need to make is we need to fix and fund, and hopefully our communities will understand that we’re not at a point where we should or can repair it and put a Band-Aid on it.”
A moment of silence to honor the victims of the Oct. 25 Lewiston mass shooting was offered at the beginning of Monday night’s meeting.
Sanders received approval from the directors to apply for a state waiver for the three missed school days that followed the tragedy.
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