Residents in Waterford and Harrison will decide Nov. 3 whether to reopen Waterford Memorial School or allow Maine School Administrative District 17 to permanently close it.

Facing a $1 million budget shortfall 18 months ago, the district authorized closing the former elementary school on Valley Road, a move that saved the district about $400,000 during the 2025-26 school year.

Its students and staff were transferred to Harrison Elementary School on Route 35 a year ago, and the building has stood vacant as SAD 17 has worked through the process set by Maine’s Department of Education to officially and permanently close it.

But before the district is able to return the property to the town of Waterford or sell it to another party, voters there and in Harrison have the option of keeping it open through a referendum on Election Day.

Both towns need to vote in the referendum. If a majority of both or one of the communities vote to affirm the board’s decision, the closure process moves on to the next step and gives Waterford first option for ownership of the property.

If voters from both towns opt to reopen the school, students and staff could be transferred back accordingly. Waterford would be financially responsible for the operations of the school. SAD 17’s current estimate to do so is $441,944. That figure is likely to change once the district completes its budget for the 2028 fiscal year.

Using this year’s $54 million budget as an example, SAD 17 Finance Director Carrie Colley explained that $441,944 would be deducted from the total. The balance would then be divided between the district’s eight sending towns according to Maine DOE’s allocation formula.

Then $441,944 would be added to Waterford’s local share and be paid by taxpayers.

The ballot language is as follows: “Do you favor authorizing the School Board of Maine School Administrative District 17 to close Waterford Elementary School?” A “yes” vote would be to affirm the decision to close it. A “no” vote would be to support reopening it for instruction.

Reopening will require a majority to vote “no.”

Waterford’s polling location is the municipal building at 366 Valley Road. Harrison residents vote at the Town Office at 20 Front St.

In Harrison, residents voted in June to form a school district withdrawal committee. That group is looking at the financial feasibilities of joining a different school district, becoming an independent district and sending its students from grades 8-12 to other districts, or remaining with SAD 17.

SAD 17 has an elementary school construction committee working on a plan to build a new elementary school that would consolidate special education students and those attending schools in Norway, Harrison and Waterford.

It was this proposal that motivated Harrison to consider withdrawal from SAD 17.

A consolidated school would be up to 100% state-funded, if approved by voters in all eight sending towns: Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Waterford and West Paris.

The elementary school construction committee is conducting land surveys and environmental testing at a proposed site, though the location has not been disclosed.

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