RUMFORD - The second meeting to develop a plan to merge SAD 44 in Bethel and School Union 37 in Rangeley will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Hotel Harris.

SAD 44 Superintendent David Murphy said he met with SAU 37 Superintendent Phil Richardson and several representatives from both school systems at the hotel last Thursday .

"We met to chart our plan," Murphy said.

That plan includes holding weekly meetings at the hotel.

The Reorganization Planning Committee will attempt to formulate a plan to send to the Maine Department of Education by Nov. 15. If that is approved, voters from the towns and plantations in the two systems will act on it by the end of January.

SAD 44 has about 15 members on its reorganizational committee and Union 37 has about 18. The unaffiliated towns of Upton and Gilead are each entitled to three members

Murphy said the two school systems have a resident student enrollment of 1,000. When the more than 200 students living in one of the unorganized territories are counted, that number rises to more than 1,200.

The Legislature is expected to act on whether to count students from unorganized territories when it convenes in January, Murphy said.

Richardson could not be reached for comment.

SAD 44 has been searching for a partner or partners for more than a year, as has Union 37.

SAD 44 is comprised of Bethel, Newry, Andover, Woodstock and Greenwood, along with students sent from several unorganized territories, Albany Township the largest.

Union 37 is comprised of Rangeley, and several plantations including Rangeley, Dallas and Sandy River.