January 14, 2008

The Honorable ____________________

Senate Chamber

3 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333

The Honorable _________________

House of Representatives

3 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Representative/Senator ____________________

For the past few months, community members, municipal representatives and school committee members in the proposed Regional School Unit #2, (Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Limestone, Caswell, Woodland, Westmanland, Stockholm and New Sweden) have spent many hours working to develop a school consolidation plan.  Despite their best intentions and their common belief that they can work together to improve efficiencies, the committee has made little progress and members are losing their motivation to continue.

The committee recently became aware of the education committee’s minority report, which includes a proposal to adopt Union School Associations (USA’s) as an alternative to Regional School Units.  The committee discussed the proposal at length and unanimously voted to endorse it. The committee feels that the USA model will enable them to improve administrative efficiencies while maintaining local control and eliminating cost sharing difficulties.

We would appreciate your support of the Edgecomb/McFadeen/Muse Minority Report.  The flexibility that USA’s provide to Maine’s “one size fits all” school consolidation law gives local communities a valuable tool to work collaboratively to improve efficiencies while maintaining the quality of education.

Sincerely,

Sam Collins

RPC #2 Co-Chair

Andrew McNeally

RPC #2 Co-Chair