REORGANIZATION PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING

Mount Desert Island High School Library

Wednesday, 19 September 2007

DRAFT Minutes

Attendance: Facilitator, Bill Ferm; Chair, Gail Marshall; Vice-Chair, Brian Hubbell; 

Bar Harbor: Paul Murphy, Bob Garland; Mt. Desert: Laurel Robbins, Jeff Smith; Frenchboro: Bob Roxby;

Southwest Harbor: Amy Young, Anne Napier, Skip Strong; Tremont: Amy Murphy; Swan’s Island: Tammy Tripler; Lamoine: Kathleen Rybarz; Trenton: Fred Ehrlenbach, Mike Swanson, Judy Sproule, Gary Webber

Others in attendance:  Rob Liebow, Nancy Thurlow, Jim Boothby, Selena Dunbar, Rick Barter, George Peckham, Kristin Hutchins, Elsie Flemings, Heather Jones, and Mia Brown

Commencement of Meeting and Review of Agenda

Gail Marshall called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and reviewed the topics on this meeting’s agenda. 

Review and Approval of Minutes from September 5^th

MOVED by Jeff Smith, seconded by Laurel Robbins, and unanimously voted to approve the minutes of

5 September 2007, as presented. 

Exploration of Overall Structure

Bill Ferm facilitated the roundtable discussion of the pros and cons of Model 4.  He reminded the committee that Model 4 has K-8 budgets being raised on their own and the high school budget being combined, as is the current set up.  He asked that each person list a pro or con for Model 4 Independent

K-8 or the same for Interdependent K-8.

After going around the room, the following thoughts were reflected on the board:

Model 4 – Independent K-8

• Identification of students in local communities.  Secular to expansion – small town school to MDIHS (A. Young)
• Independent K-8 through common contract enhances cooperation between municipalities (B. Hubbell)
• Local control promotes public interest and support (L. Robbins)
• Lack of opportunity in preparedness (P. Murphy)
• Age appropriate for K-8 (J. Smith)
• Combine funding opportunities while retaining independent schools (F. Ehrlenbach, Webber and Swanson agreed)
• Student identification with school (J. Sproule)
• Retain right to change as appropriate.  Sense of community doesn’t need to be by town lines. (R. Liebow)
• Kid control (K. Rybarz)
• Avoid boxing in and preventing flexibility (S. Strong)

Interdependent K-8

• Effect on transportation, especially Southwest Harbor and Tremont (A. Napier)
• Common RSU identity for students, think of all students as one group, like MDIHS, not by town (A. Murphy)
• Financial savings?  (B. Garland)
• Concern about lack of public support (G. Marshall)
• Geographical barriers, isolated by location (B. Roxby)
• Concern about local identity, what’s best for K-8 student (T. Tripler)
• Potential for increased options for students, hard for special needs or exceptional students (K. Rybarz)
• Concern about ultimate impact, known and unknown, of consolidation.  Local school vulnerable to larger communities.  Concern that changing governance will change schools.  (B. Hubbell)
• Control size of boundaries (A. Young)

Gail Marshall said we want to foster independence but wants the state to let us do it in our own time and our own way.

Fred Ehrlenbach said that the new law was designed to consolidate administration not schools and would allow collaboration on curriculum, food service, and other services which might benefit each school if shared.

Gail Marshall asked if a sub-committee should be formed to review potential financial savings between towns and districts.  Laurel Robbins, Amy Murphy, Rob Liebow, Nancy Thurlow and Kathleen Rybarz volunteered to be on this sub-committee.

Gail Marshall asked if the committee wanted to continue looking at different models, other than model 4.

Brian Hubbell said that we should be looking at ways to collaborate, not consolidate so it is unlikely that other models would work.

Gail Marshall mentioned that perhaps the administrative teams from all towns involved should meet to see if our curriculums and other services would be a good fit for everyone.

Kristin Hutchins said that this is not an exercise by choice and that the law should be repealed.  Whatever system we end up with, kids should be okay because we care and are involved.

Feedback from Towns

Much of the feedback was given during the roundtable discussion.  Kathleen Rybarz said that Lamoine is exploring three options; combining with Ellsworth only, combining Union 92 and Union 96, or combining with Union 98.  Lamoine is unique in that 90% of their town budget goes toward education.

Rob Liebow mentioned that the Hancock County Superintendent’s Association met with Jim Rier this morning who reviewed the referendum process.  Mr. Rier did not believe any districts would be ready by January.  He is committed to making changes to the legislature to take care of the 2 mil requirement and other difficulties.  Maybe there could be another way to fund RSU’s and ways around cost barriers.

Jim Boothby said there are new discoveries being made all the time.  He does not believe any district will be on the fast track because they can not be ready by January.

Rob Liebow mentioned that one problem with trying to consolidate districts is the pairing of minimum receivers of subsidy with high receivers.

Kathleen Rybarz agreed with Mr. Liebow and said that this would definitely be a problem because Lamoine receives a large percent of subsidy from the state and would lose that no matter who they consolidate with.

Mr. Liebow said the Commissioner is expects to have a handful of plans by December 1 but that Jim Rier didn’t believe the state would receive any plans by that date.  Mr. Rier said the state will try to give districts more clarity so the can proceed quickly.

Gail Marshall thought the committee might not meet on the next scheduled date, but have a public forum instead.  However, she did not think the committee was at the point where it had enough solid information to present.

Update on Legal Counsel

Gail Marshall said that a letter from Dick Spencer was received allowing us to get representation until a conflict of interest arises.  Then we would need to seek alternate counsel.  Mr. Liebow will sign and return the letter to Mr. Spencer stating that we agree to the terms of his representation.

Next Meeting Date

Wednesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the MDIHS Library

Future Agenda Items

Gail Marshall suggested the committee decide what it needs to move forward.  Brian Hubbell suggested the committee also identify obstacles that hinder our forward progress.  Jeff Smith agreed that we need to figure out what we know, what we need to know, and the implications of how we deal with boards and governance. 

Gail Marshall said the committee needs to have something that we can give Dick Spencer so he can create a plan for us.

Skip Strong asked how we were going to pay for Mr. Spencer’s services.  Brian Hubbell said we have to assume the state will pay.  Mr. Liebow said the state has different pots of money and knows that different school units will have different needs.

Adjournment

MOVED by Paul Murphy, seconded by Tammy Tripler, and unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:58 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Selena Dunbar, Recording Secretary