AUBURN – State Sen. Neria Douglass is jumping into the Lake Street fray.

Douglass, a former member of the Auburn School Committee, said she is willing to submit a bill that would force the state to support the expansion of Lake Street Elementary School.

If successful, the bill would overrule the state education commissioner, who has told Auburn officials that the expansion plan is too expensive, the site too small and the project has too many constraints to move forward with state funding.

“I think my job is to keep the possibilities open,” said Douglass, an Auburn Democrat.

Set on less than 2 acres in the heart of a tree-lined neighborhood, Lake Street Elementary serves 145 students from kindergarten through grade three.

The school is aging and overcrowded, with no room for art, music, gym or a lunch room.

The school department had planned since 1998 to expand the school. Officials spent the past year gathering purchase agreements on several properties that surround the building.

That work derailed this past fall when Education Commissioner Susan Gendron said the state could not support the expansion plan. Auburn officials accepted the decision and said they would instead build an entirely new school elsewhere in the neighborhood.

The decision to abandon the old school and build another caused a wave of protest. Each time the school board considered letting go of the purchase agreements, parents and residents packed the meeting room to object.

At one of those meetings last week, former legislator and Lake Street area resident John Cleveland said he had a solution: submit a bill that would force the Maine Department of Education to support the Lake Street expansion.

Cleveland approached Douglass with the idea. She agreed.

“I understand the site is under acreage,” Douglass said. “But I also understand that it could work at that acreage.”

She said she wants Auburn to have the option to expand the existing school or build a new one. She then wants Auburn people, not the state, to choose what’s best for the community.

“I am concerned we develop the best plan possible. No matter which plan that is,” she said.

Douglass said she will talk with state officials about reconsidering the Maine Department of Education’s decision. If that doesn’t work, she will submit a bill this session.

“My goal here is to get what the community wants. That’s my only goal,” she said.

During the committee meeting last week, some members seemed intrigued by the idea of submitting a bill. Others said the expansion still has problems and urged the committee to focus on building a new school.

Gendron said Monday that she understands Douglass’ dedication and the sentimental attachment residents have to Lake Street Elementary, but she didn’t believe the school would have enough land to adequately expand. She would not support a bill.

“The site does not conform to the acreage that we require,” she said. “That’s my No. 1 concern.”

ltice@sunjournal.com

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