Staff Writer

Groups from three York County communities last week asked state legislators to give them back local control of schools.

Residents and town officials from Arundel, Dayton and Saco testified April 8 before the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs on two bills that would allow municipalities to withdraw from regional school units.

The committee heard testimony on 13 bills related to regional school units. Dayton and Saco municipal officials spoke in favor of LD 803, a bill that would allow Dayton to opt out of RSU 23, which includes Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach. Saco city councilors want their city to be included in the legislation.

Dayton and Saco officials say they joined the regional school unit under threat of penalties and loss of state subsidies. They argue they no longer have control of the school budget and are forced to raise property taxes.

Arundel residents testified both in favor and against LD 1083, an emergency act to allow Arundel to withdraw from RSU 21, the district that also includes Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. Proponents of the legislation say Arundel is burdened with higher education costs and feel they may lose an arrangement to send students to Thornton Academy Middle School in Saco.

Opponents of the RSU 21 legislation argue the consolidated school district has allowed for a number of physical and curriculum improvements at Mildred L. Day School in Arundel. They asked legislators to allow the district more time to work through its issues.

Under state law, municipalities can withdraw from regional school units three years after their formation if the move is supported by two-thirds of town voters.

Testimony on those two bills came on the same day educators and town officials from across the state asked for changes to regional school unit requirements. School consolidation is required for most districts under the 2007 Reorganization Law.

Commissioner of Education Stephen Bowen testified in support of measures to repeal penalties for schools that did not reorganize, but opposed the Dayton and Arundel acts.

“I think it is fair to say that the position of the administration with regard to district reorganization is that while efforts should be undertaken to generate savings and improve educational services through regionalization, a one-size-fits-all solution of the kind imposed by the state a few years ago is not the approach the administration intends to support moving forward,” Bowen said.

Bowen said Gov. Paul LePage made clear on the campaign trail he intends to move away from use of penalties as a way to compel compliance and toward the use of incentives to encourage voluntary collaboration.

Bowen said the LePage administration finds itself in “a very tough position” regarding penalties. He said many districts formed only because of the penalties.

“The strongly held sentiment in those districts is that they complied – putting a tremendous amount of time and aggravation into the process – because of the penalties and it would be unjust to allow the districts who failed to follow the law to walk away scot-free,” he said.

Bowen said the administration supports existing law governing the withdrawal of districts from regional school units.

“The law requires that districts remain within the RSU framework that was approved by local voters for three years before undertaking efforts to withdraw. Additionally, we do not support efforts to limit or eliminate school choice in those districts that retained it through the reorganization process,” he said.

Dayton, Saco want out

Rep. Wayne Parry, whose district includes Arundel, Dayton and parts of Kennebunk and Lyman, submitted LD 803 at the request of Dayton selectmen. The Saco City Council later unanimously voted to ask legislators to include the city on the bill.

Parry told the committee the communities are “worse off” in their regional school unit.

“I never thought it would save a lot of money, but I didn’t think it would cost more,” he said. “The city of Saco and town of Dayton had a good working relationship before consolidation and probably will again.”

Parry asked legislators to support the bill and allow the municipalities “to take back schooling of their children.”

Howard “Skip” Cushman, Dayton’s representative to the RSU 23 school board, said the bill “provides the opportunity for the town of Dayton to provide top quality education in a cost-effective manner.” He said the mil rate in Dayton has increased by $1.65 to support the school budget since the creation of the school unit. The town has used more than $565,000 in surplus money to reduce the impact of education expenses on the mil rate.

He said the current school budget accounts for 64 percent, or $10.28 of the $16.05 mil rate for Dayton.

Dayton Selectman Mike Polakewich told the committee consolidation was “a buzzword” and nothing has changed. He said the town’s small tax base is supported by 700 homes, three businesses and a few small home businesses. The town’s largest expense is education.

Polakewich said school consolidation eroded the ability of the town to control the education of its children.

“We all want the best education for our students,” he said.

Amos Gay, a former Dayton selectman, said Dayton’s prior arrangement as a school district with Saco “worked out quite well.” He said Dayton was forced into an arrangement with Saco and Old Orchard Beach.

“My issue with RSU 23 is that is has not and will not save money and ‘improved opportunities’ means getting away from basics. We cannot afford nor do we need educational wishes,” he said. “Not only is Dayton encountering greater costs; it has also lost control of its education destiny as one conservative vote does not carry much weight on a board with six other members.”

Saco Mayor Ron Michaud said the city joined the regional school unit only because of threat of annual penalties of nearly $1 million. He said the city is subsidizing a neighboring community and “squandering taxpayer dollars” under the current agreement.

“You ought to enable communities around the state to revote the issue,” he said.

No one testified in opposition to the bill.

Gary Curtis, a school board member from Old Orchard Beach, disputes claims by Dayton and Saco officials about the effectiveness of the school district. He said students in classrooms across the district have more opportunities. He also said the board develops a responsible budget in a process that now allows more input from voters.

Arundel seeks local control

Sen. Nancy Sullivan, whose district includes part of Biddeford, Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, submitted LD 1083 on behalf of 400 Arundel residents. She said she does not have an opinion on the bill and “can understand both sides of this issue.”

Testimony at times became emotional as parents and residents shared their views of how Arundel has faired under the current school agreement. Proponents of the bill testified Arundel taxpayers cannot afford to be part of the school unit and could lose the ability to send their children to Thornton Academy Middle School.

The school board supports a $1.2 million contract buyout that would allow Arundel middle school students to attend either Thornton Academy or Middle School of the Kennebunks. Currently Arundel students go to the private school in Saco.

Residents in RSU 21 will decide in a May referendum vote if the contract buyout will take place.

Parry, co-sponsor of the bill, said the RSU is “tearing the town of Arundel apart.”

“This has outraged most Arundel parents. I did not vote for consolidation, I voted not to get penalized,” he said.  “If we voted today, residents will vote to get out and bring it back under local control.”

Ed Karytko, of West Kennebunk, said he supports allowing Arundel to withdraw from the district.

“The consolidation of the town of Arundel with the towns of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport has not worked in the past, is not working now and most certainly will not work in the future, period,” he said.

Karytko said the tax impact on Arundel residents is unsustainable and “the animosity between the towns is growing and will continue to grow until there is a resolution to this problem. That resolution must be the ability for Arundel to completely and unconditionally withdraw from RSU 21.”

Dan Pleva, a school board member from Arundel, voted against the buyout. He told the committee in Augusta the town had zero education-related debt before the RSU, but is now incurring debt. He also said the town is in danger of losing its independent identity.

“There is a tremendous rift in Arundel you have the power to mend,” he said.

Arundel resident Carmen Dube said her town was forced to join the school unit.

“This RSU is a failed experiment and it’s going to cost us more money than we can ever imagine,” she said.

James Buttarazzi of Arundel said the town’s loss of local control is “paralyzing and frustrating.”

“This reorganization law is tearing our town apart,” he said.

In support of RSU

Matt Sylvanus, Arundel resident and board member on the Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel, testified against the bill. He said the school district will “help preserve public education well into the future.” He said the education budget in Arundel had increased in years leading up the joining RSU 21.

“Allowing this bill to go any further will be an injustice to those who worked and continue to work so hard to do what is best for the education of the children in al three towns, but most importantly will take away the opportunity for our children to be part of an exemplary school district,” he said.

Arundel resident Dorothy Gregoire said the school district has improved Mildred L. Day School.

“Just walk into our school and observe our staff and students shine in this RSU,” she said. “Our baby district has overcome many problems and we probably have many more ahead, but let us work though it.”

Leia Lowery, a RSU 21 school board member, also opposes the withdrawal bill. Her voice wavered with emotion as she described how her daughter has benefited from curriculum improvements since the formation of the school district. She said it is “unbelievable we would be asked to take a step back.”

“I ardently implore you to stop this bill from going any further, for the welfare of our children, the welfare of our school and to support the kind of sustainable education that the consolidation law was originally trying to achieve,” she said. 

Kennbunkport Town Manager Larry Mead testified neither for nor against the bill but asked legislators to consider allowing Kennebunkport to look for new consolidation partners if Arundel withdraws from the district.

A Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs work session was scheduled for Wednesday, after the Courier’s publication deadline. The committee will discuss the proposed bills, then vote to pass, not pass or amend the bills.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.