A state education leader tells officials their schools face a bleak future without an infusion of Peru students and money.
By Terry Karkos
Staff Writer

DIXFIELD – Instead of depicting the positives that SAD 21 could expect should the proposed merger with Peru happen, a bleak outlook should it not occur was revealed Monday night.

That message apparently sank in for SAD 21 directors.

Dixfield Director Sonya Fuller motioned to take the merger contract with Peru to taxpayers as written. Dixfield Director Shelly Harlow seconded it. Both had opposed the merger earlier.

The board voted 10-1 to approve the motion.

Carthage Director William Skidgell was the dissenter.

“They have to look at the future and a future without Peru was not good,” said SAD 21 Superintendent Thomas Ward. “We had a very good meeting after the first one at which people vented and I think it really helped.”

The surprising vote came after three related meetings Monday night.

In the first, Maine Education Commissioner Susan A. Gendron bluntly sketched a bleak image for SAD 21’s future should the merger with Peru not happen.

At that 90-minute session, Gendron spoke with SAD 21 and Peru school directors and selectmen from SAD 21 towns of Canton, Carthage and Dixfield as well as Peru selectmen.

It was a last-ditch effort after two years of negotiations between SAD 21 and Peru school boards failed on Dec. 1.

At the Dec. 1 meeting, a weighted vote by a majority of SAD 21 directors from Dixfield and Carthage rejected sending the contract to Gendron for approval.

Gendron outlined declining enrollment in Canton and Dixfield for the future, and loss of revenue from both Peru and the state should the merger not occur.

Additionally, she revealed – having met with Canton officials Friday – that Canton would be forced to withdraw from SAD 21 for economic reasons should the merger not go through.

Less Canton and Peru, the estimated operational budget to be raised by Carthage and Dixfield would be $2.94 million. Of that, Carthage’s share would be $388,406, which is $190,944 more than the local share now.

Dixfield’s portion would be $2.55 million, or $1.25 million more than its existing local share.

The second meeting Monday night was a 45-minute-long round-table discussion between SAD 21 and Peru school boards.

Emotions were vented to the point where Peru school Chairwoman Tammi Lyons got up to walk out but Ward and SAD 21 Director Linda Jamison of Carthage calmed the situation.

Ward then explained that the merger would not increase taxes.

After the second meeting, both boards convened their own special meetings.

Peru officials retired to their school and voted to send the merger contract to voters without realizing that SAD 21 directors were doing the same, said Peru Superintendent John Turner.

Ward said Monday night’s vote by SAD 21 means the proposed merger contract as written would go to Gendron, who is expected to sign it. Then public informational meetings will be held in Peru prior to a referendum by the end of January. If Peru residents approve the contract, the ball moves to SAD 21’s court, and they will conduct public hearings before sending the matter to referendum.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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