RUMFORD – SAD 43 got its membership on the Regional Planning Committee started Monday night by appointing Chairwoman Linda Westleigh from Rumford and longtime board member Betty Barrett from Mexico.

Since the district is comprised of four towns, the board is entitled to four school board representatives on the Regional Planning Committee, a group that will develop at least a partial plan for possibly merging SADs 43, 21, 44, and Union 37.

No one was appointed from Byron or Roxbury.

Byron’s lone member, Anne Simmons-Edmunds, has indicated that she will not be able to serve on the committee, which is expected to require considerable time. Roxbury’s seat has been vacant for months.

Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said he plans to talk with selectmen from the two small towns about whether SAD 43 board members from other district towns could be allowed to represent them.

Board member Jeff Sterling said he would be interested, as would Diane Paterson. Both members represent Rumford.

Barrett, an 11-year board member, and Westleigh, a six-year member, are the first appointments to be made from the three administrative districts. Representatives from Union 37, which is comprised of several plantations and one town, have been chosen.

Both SAD 21 in Dixfield and SAD 44 in Bethel are expected to choose representatives soon.

Hodgkin said he wants names of residents and municipal officials from the four district towns who want to serve on the regional committee submitted to him by Oct. 26.

State Department of Education facilitator Bob Connors is expected to begin his work with representatives from districts and union at a meeting in early November.

Planning committee meetings will be open to the public, Hodgkin said.

He said town managers and superintendents in the planning committee area will be ex-officio members.

At least a partial plan showing how the four educational units could merge must be submitted to the Department of Education by Dec. 1.

A special SAD 43 meeting was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Nov. 26 for review and expected approval of that plan.