Committee Tackles Complex Withdrawal Process
The RSU 10 Withdrawal Committee, tasked with guiding Buckfield, Hartford, and Sumner through their departure from Regional School Unit 10, convened for its second session on Thursday evening. The gathering took place at the Sumner Town Office, marking another step in the intricate 22-phase procedure mandated by the Maine Department of Education.
Budget Development Takes Center Stage
During discussions, committee members focused heavily on formulating a financial plan for the prospective new school district. Erin Hinkley, representing Buckfield and serving on the RSU 10 board, emphasized the need for thorough investigation, stating, "A lot more digging needs to be done." The group collectively decided to handle budget preparation internally rather than establishing a separate committee for this purpose.
"All members should be working on the budget," Hinkley affirmed. The committee unanimously scheduled a budget workshop for January 8, following the regular business meeting. Hinkley further advised, "We should not build our budget based on the RSU 10 budget, but base it on what we need and what we don't need." This budget creation constitutes part of Step 8 in the withdrawal timeline, which requires submitting a proposed agreement within 90 days of the committee's December 3 formation.
Legal Representation and Historical Context
In parallel with budget planning, the committee established a timeline for securing legal counsel. They approved wording for letters to be sent to three attorneys, requesting proposals for representation throughout the withdrawal process, with responses due by January 20. Nicholas Tifft, a Hartford selectman and committee member, agreed to dispatch these letters promptly.
Members acknowledged the challenges faced by four other towns—Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, and Peru—during their 2017 withdrawal from RSU 10, which led to the formation of Regional School Unit 56. These communities, along with Buckfield, Hartford, and Sumner, were originally part of separate administrative districts before merging into RSU 10 in 2008.
Community Engagement and Asset Management
Deb Frino of Sumner, who chaired the meeting, raised concerns about increasing rumors within the communities and at Hartford-Sumner Elementary School and Buckfield Junior-Senior High School. She advocated for better communication with school staff, remarking, "It's not us and them. I want it to be (all of) us." Suggestions included having staff submit written questions for a future meeting.
Neal Austin of Buckfield, active in the withdrawal petition, agreed to prepare guidelines for the January 8 budget workshop. He noted that any email correspondence between teachers and committee members would become part of the public record. Tifft proposed a meeting with staff in March, "after we've got our feet wet."
Additionally, Frino will serve as the committee's liaison with the Maine Department of Education. She, along with Tifft and Liz Coombe of Sumner, will form an asset committee to inventory physical properties of the two schools. The ownership of certain assets may be negotiated as part of the withdrawal agreement, which must be finalized within the 90-day deadline.
