[Local-Maine-Schools] Meetings Today (FWD from Dick Gould)

[Brian Hubbell]

From: "RICHARD GOULD" <perf3170rag at verizon.net>
To: Local-Maine-Schools at mainetalk.org
From: perf3170rag at verizon.net
Subject: Meetings Today
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:21:48 -0400

Hi all
    I attended the House Republican Caucus today.  It appears that
they cannot support the ed piece and will vote against it.
    I also attended the Rural Caucus and heard several possible
amendments to the Approp position.  Leaders of the Caucus were meeting
with leadership to see if a compromise can be worked out.  The vehicle
for the compromise is the plan advanced by Rep. Farrington.  There are
nine concerns that the rural caucus are working with the leadership to
address.  They are:
    1. The timeline
    2. The ideas  of legislative intend to have 80 districts.  They
want to have it as a guideline if it is in the bill at all.
    3.  The Referendum vote.
    4.  Having the Commissioner's roll better defined.
    5.  Make sure that there is local participation with meaning.
    6.  Keeping unions if municipalities want them, but more on the
Super Union ideas.  Such as having an expanded central office doing
more things such as curriculum coordinator, Superintendent as
treasurer, etc.
    7.  Reduce penalties to mainly to administrative issues.
    8.  The size of district.

Some amendments would remove it from the budget and put it back to the
ed com. for next year while encouraging collaboration now.
    Tomorrow will be the beginning of the battle and will more than
likely go on Wednesday.  It will be good if you can come both days,
but if you can only make one, I think that Wed would probably be best,
but I may be wrong.

Sorry about lack of detail, but I got back late from Augusta and
Greenville has its town meeting tonight and I have go to go.  Send
questions or comments and I will try to answer them when I get back
tonight.
Dick