BETHEL – A special SAD 44 reapportionment committee has finalized changes in the voting power of the five member towns based on population changes since the 1990 census. The changes were recommended by the Maine Department of Education. The number of directors remains the same for each town.

• Andover: three directors; 50 votes each instead of 58; 151 total votes instead of 174.

• Bethel: six directors; 70 votes each instead of 71, 420 total votes instead of 425.

• Greenwood: three directors; 47 votes each instead of 42; 141 total votes instead of 126.

• Newry: two directors; 30 votes each instead of 29; 60 total votes instead of 58.

• Woodstock: three directors; 76 votes each instead of 72; 228 total votes instead of 216.

“As populations change in each of the district towns we have to reapportion the voting power for each town to keep a fair balance in the weighted voting system,” Superintendent David Murphy said. “It had been recommended that the number of board members from Newry be dropped from two to one, but Selectman Steve Wight explained that, if the town only has one board member and that person could not make a meeting Newry would have no representation. The rest of the committee agreed and voted unanimously to keep the membership as it is and as it has always been.”

The members of the reapportionment committee were Trudy Akers, Kelly Scotti and Brad Thibodeau, all of Andover; Reggie Brown, Becky Cummings and Al Kressy, all of Bethel; Fred Henderson, Dick Melville and Ann Holt, all of Greenwood; Steve Wight and Patrick Roma, both of Newry; and Percy Monk of Woodstock.