Organizations
The Easton School Department called together nearly 100 citizens of Easton on Tuesday evening, April 24, for an informational meeting held to discuss the impact, if enacted, of current legislation on the Easton schools and other small schools in the state.
The meeting was opened by Mike Corey of the Easton Board of Selectmen and then turned over to Superintendent of Easton Schools Frank Keenan. We were told that this legislation, if passed in its current form, would result in a forced consolidation of the whole Easton School Department and the elimination of the Easton School Board. In other words, the citizens of Easton will lose control of their schools.
Gov. John Baldacci and the Commissioner of Education, along with a subcommittee, have devised a plan that provides that Maine’s local school administrative units must be consolidated into 80 kindergarten through 12th grade Regional School Units (RSUs) with an average of 2,500 students in each. The existing SADs and CSDs and school unions will be eliminated, and their elected school boards will be abolished as of June 30, 2008.
Almost all municipal school departments and their local school committees will also be abolished. The plans for reorganization are required to deal with the disposition of real and personal school property, the disposition of our school funds and the directors of an RSU may require the municipal officers of member municipalities to transfer title to all of their school property and buildings to the RSU board of directors. That means they can take our school buildings and not allow us to hold any kind of educational program there, just as they did in Westfield when they were put into Presque Isle. This is a plan that is being pushed as quickly as possible through a “by your leave,” or a referendum vote by the citizens of the state. All of this is supposed to be pushed through by August 15, 2007. Quick, huh?
If a school unit does not accept this plan or suggest an alternate plan by July 31, 2007, then the State Board of Education is authorized to place that unit in an RSU anyway. Very American! There is no local vote to form or to join an RSU. The final decisions are made in Augusta. Easton, Mars Hill, Bridgewater and Ashland will be required to consolidate with Presque Isle. This is to save money? Do they realize that to bus children from Portage will cost money when gas in this area is $3.03 or more a gallon and are the kindergarten children going to have to stay all day? How early do you think kids in Portage and Bridgewater will have to get up to catch the bus if this goes through?
Keenan said that we have a lot of good schools in Maine and Presque Isle is one of them but Easton is a very good school too. They won over both Presque Isle and Caribou in the Math Tournament and came in seventh in the state.
One man at the meeting stated that he could have made a larger salary in New Hampshire if he had wanted but that he stayed here because of the schools. One citizen even suggested that they break away from the state and go it alone.
It’s true that there can be some cutting of costs in all school departments if it must be, but what about the state? Why do they always go after the schools when they decide to save on money. The question is, ‘What can we do about it?’ It was suggested by a former legislator that phone calls to legislators’ and senators’ offices really get their attention. It was also suggested by a citizen that maybe a busload of Easton and Mars Hill people might go to Augusta. One of the Board of Selectmen warned that if that occurred it should be on a special day when this subject was on the floor otherwise it would be just a long ride for nothing. The timing must be right. There is so much more to this fast-moving devastation than I can report here.
The Star-Herald and other local papers as well as the Bangor Daily News should call for the whole plan and print it for us all to read.
There will be another meeting in Easton in the near future and the town will be notified by mail. For now if you care, call your representatives, no matter where you live, because this concerns the whole state, and let them know what an idiotic and destructive plan this is. We have a right to vote on it. To call your senators dial 800-423-6900 and ask for the special senator you want to speak to; and to contact your representative dial 800-423-2900. Leave a voice mail.
Easton will be holding their next meeting at the Easton Elementary School gym on Monday, May 7, beginning at 7 p.m. and they encourage you to come, invite friends and family from neighboring districts. Anyone interested in this is welcome. Thank you for any support that you can provide. See you there.
Victims
Larry Nichols and little daughter Mackenzie were forced out of their Falmouth home during the bad storm that crossed the state recently. Water came into the basement and the electricity was out for a couple of days. They were lucky to have friends who took them in for the time. Melanie, Larry’s wife, was out of the state on business during the storm.
Sympathy
Our sympathy goes out to the family of Easton’s Harold Jones Jr. who passed away at The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle on Sunday, April 22. Harold, 67, was born in Houlton and graduated from the Houlton schools. He joined the Army in 1959 and served in Alaska until 1964. He was also a member of the Maine National Guard for 15 years and he was proud of his service in both the Army and Guard. He was employed by Potato Service, Inc. for 16 years and the last five years worked at Marden’s in Presque Isle. He very much enjoyed his grandchildren and playing cribbage and poker. Harold leaves his loving wife, Geraldine Jones of Easton; four daughters: Lori Bezaire and family of Salmon, Idaho; Becky Maynard and family of Presque Isle; Tammy Leach and family, also of Presque Isle; and Wendy Bartley and family of Washburn. He is survived by a brother, Robert Jones of Houlton; and three sisters: Gertie Knight and family of Kentucky; and Bonnie Foster and Jerry Jones, both of Houlton. An informal gathering of family and friends was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, to celebrate Harold’s life at the home of his daughter, Tammy and Mike Leach in Presque Isle. Instead of flowers, the family wishes donations made in his memory be made to the American Cancer Society, c/o Becky Maynard, 4 Skyview Drive, Presque Isle ME 04769.
Hospitalized
Flora Adams was taken to The Aroostook Medical Center last Wednesday morning by ambulance suffering from dehydration and other symptoms.
