NORWAY – Stayed tuned.

That’s the message Superintendent Mark Eastman gave to SAD 17 directors at Monday night’s meeting after briefly reviewing the Department of Education’s feedback on the district’s plan to meet the state’s school consolidation mandate.

The Sept. 13 letter from Commissioner Susan A. Gendron to the superintendent states that the district plan, filed on Aug. 30, does comply with requirements of the reorganization law. She requested “continued exploration” with SAD 39 (Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner) “to achieve the most effective and sustainable partnerships for the region.”

Gendron went on to say that the state will work with the region to mitigate, through proposed legislation, any fiscal barrier that exists.

DOE officials have touted the current shared efforts of SADs 17 and 39 throughout the process as examples of a successful partnership. The districts already share adult education programs, some bulk purchases, a part-time administrator and other programs, but each retains autonomy as a district.

The state has mandated that school districts form new, larger districts to reduce administrative costs to save Maine taxpayers and estimated $120 million by 2011. SAD 17 had reviewed the option of forming a partnership with SAD 39, but following months of study determined it was not fiscally possible.

Last month, SAD 17 directors voted to stand alone rather than merge with another school district. Eastman said then that an in-depth financial analysis for possible consolidation with SAD 39 and SAD 44 (Bethel area) showed it was fiscally impossible. Instead, the district filed a notice of intent requesting permission to file an alternative plan allowing it to remain in its current configuration.

The school district met the criteria to file the alternative plan because its enrollment of 3,600 students exceeds the state parameter of 2,500 for newly organized regional school units. The kindergarten through grade 12 programming and comprehensive high school also meets policy requirements, said Eastman.

SAD 39 Superintendent Richard Colpitts said Monday night that he also received a letter from DOE that states his notice of intent does not comply with the merger law. Gendron recommended that SAD 39 continue exploration with SAD 17 and SAD 52 (Turner) to achieve “effective and sustainable” partnerships for the region. Again Gendron stressed that the DOE will work with the district to mitigate financial obstacles through proposed legislation.

The Sept. 13 letter states that the DOE will be in contact with the superintendent shortly to discuss options.

“I haven’t heard from the department yet,” Eastman said smiling.

Board Chairman Ron Kugell said the DOE needs to work on the reorganization law and not specifically with the SAD 17 plan.

“It’s simply a matter of finances. Our work is done. We made our decision based on finances. They are the ones who have to work on it,” said Kugell.

Kugell said the solution is simple. By allowing each district to keep its own budget and assessing a percentage of the shared administrators cost to each budget, a shared district plan could work.

“Just stay tuned,” Eastman told his directors.