LEWISTON- Nearly a year after they asked Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe to come to the Twin Cities to discuss new federal education laws, some Lewiston School Committee members are frustrated that Maine’s most prominent congressperson hasn’t yet found the time to meet.

Meanwhile, the rest of Maine’s congressional delegation has.

“It strikes me that her staff doesn’t understand the gravity of the issue,” said James Handy, chairman of the Lewiston School Committee.

Disturbed by the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act, a massive education reform law, committee member Ronella Paradis asked the committee last fall about inviting Maine’s two U.S. senators and two representatives to Lewiston to talk about the act, federal funding and the problems Maine schools were having with the reforms. Members agreed and the committee quickly asked the congressional delegation to meet with them.

In March, Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud and Tom Allen met with the Lewiston and Auburn school committees in a public discussion. In August, Republican Sen. Susan Collins had her meeting.

But Handy said he hasn’t heard much from Snowe’s office.

Over the last year, the committee has received a few e-mails and phone calls from Snowe’s staff members. Handy, who is coordinating the meetings, said he hasn’t heard from anyone since June.

Paradis received a phone message a few weeks ago and passed it on to Handy, but he hasn’t yet responded. He said he’s still waiting to hear back from the other staff members he’s called on his own.

“They haven’t responded to me directly,” he said. “I don’t have a staff to run down and chase Sen. Snowe’s staff.”

The senator’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Wenk said “a scheduling issue” has kept Snowe, who graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn, from meeting with local education leaders.

Other meetings

At a workshop on No Child Left Behind last week, some school committee members said they were upset that they haven’t met with Snowe.

“I think she could find time, especially since it’s Lewiston and Auburn,” said Paradis a few days after the workshop. “She’s been here for other meetings on other subjects.”

Paradis said she was happy to meet with Allen, Michaud and Collins to talk about the problems Maine schools are having with No Child Left Behind.

“Tom Allen came and he doesn’t even represent us,” she said of the southern Maine representative.

But Snowe was the one person she had hoped most to see.

“She’s powerful down there and has been down there a long time,” said Paradis, who hoped that Snowe could “maybe go back and say what our concerns are.”

Handy said he understands that Snowe has a busy schedule, but adds “we all work for a living.”

He said he’s been frustrated that Snowe’s office hasn’t worked harder to get her to town.

“The effort on the part of Snowe’s staff has been lacking,” he said.

Committee member Larry Lachance was more forgiving.

He believes Snowe has always been responsive to the area and currently has a busy schedule. He said he has been disappointed rather than frustrated at Snowe’s absence.

“She may have some input into No Child Left Behind,” he said.

He remains hopeful that she will come.

“I think she’ll come around,” he said.

Snowe’s spokesman said the senator wants to meet with area educator leaders and may make it to the area during the Senate’s next long recess.

That next recess will likely be in October.

“It’s definitely not something that has fallen off the radar screen,” Wenk said.

[email protected]