DIXFIELD – Following two secret ballots, the newly realigned SAD 21 Consolidated School Board chose a Peru director and a Carthage director for chairman and vice-chairman.

Richard Colpitts, who now chairs the Peru School School Committee, won the chairman position. Linda Jamison of Carthage was elected vice-chairperson.

Superintendent Thomas Ward opened the short meeting, saying it was a “historic meeting of the consolidated Board of Directors.”

Ward and Peru Superintendent John Turner shared a letter from the state Board of Education that places a new elementary school for the merged district on the protected list for funding. Turner elaborated on the letter and the Education Board’s previous meeting, which he and Ward attended in Augusta.

“They said that should there not be enough money in the current biennium budget, we will get additional monies in the next budget. It guarantees funding for the new school,” Turner said.

Ward said that means that state education directors followed through on Education Commissioner Susan Gendron’s promises to voters in Peru and SAD 21 towns of Canton, Carthage and Dixfield.

In other business, Ward outlined the purpose of the consolidated board, which is to work on all aspects related to the new elementary school and the realigned district’s 2005-06 budget. Work on that budget will begin in December.

Ward also shared a copy of the legal advertisement to procure architectural and engineering services to plan for, develop and construct the new 350-pupil elementary school.

Directors also set the fourth Monday of every month for their regular meetings, which will start at 6:30 p.m.

The group is to meet next at 6:30 p.m. June 28 to open bids from interested architects or firms.

Directors also received an outline of the school construction review and approval process for major capital improvement programs.

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