[Local-Maine-Schools] Union 98 convenes a regional planning committee

[Brian Hubbell]

Union 98 convenes a regional planning committee
http://mdischools.net/20070625_ConveningRPC.htm

Union 98 convenes a regional planning committee
June 25, 2007

To convene a regional school planning committee, the Board of School
Union 98 invites the school boards of the towns of Bar Harbor, Mount
Desert, Southwest Harbor, Tremont, Cranberry Isles, Frenchboro, Swans
Island, and Trenton each to delegate as many as three official
representatives to an organizational meeting, tentatively scheduled
for the last week of July.

The Board of School Union 98 recommends that each school committee, in
consultation with their respective communities, nominate two
representatives and ask their municipal governing body to nominate the
third representative.  Each local school board will officially confirm
their three-member delegation and by July 23 forward the names to the
Union 98 board which will then convene the first meeting of the
Regional Planning Committee.

Responsibilities of members of the Regional Planning Committee will be:

1) To represent each town's interest in public K-12 education.

2) To commit substantial time and effort to explore the opportunities
for regional association as required by new law in a manner consistent
with the best interests of our schools and communities.

3) To draft and tentatively approve a regional plan for education for
approval by local referendum,

4) To serve as an informational conduit to and from each respective
municipal constituency.

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Projected schedule for Regional Planning Committee
(June 25, 2007)

June-July:

Beginning as soon as possible: Local boards meet to nominate and
approve Regional Planning Committee representatives by July 23. Union
98 Board convenes Regional Planning Committee. RPC agrees on process,
ground rules, schedules work for negotiating schematic plan.

Monday, July 23:  RPC's initial organizational meeting

Wednesday, July 25: MSMA workshop

August:

By August 31: RPC members commit to regional intent and submit letter
of  intent to Department of Education.  Work continues on plan
details. Legal review and local review iterate as necessary.

September:

Finalize plan and submit to state Department of Education.

December

By December 15: Department of Education approves RPC's plan

January, 2008

January 15, 2008: Plan goes to local referendum.

May, June 2008: Municipal elections of regional board members.

July 1, 2008: New regional district begins operations.