STRONG – A regional school planning committee has completed a plan to consolidate 16 communities in Franklin and Somerset counties into one school system. They are far ahead of most school systems in the state.

The plan for the Western Mountains Regional School District now goes to the school boards of SAD 9, SAD 58, Coplin and Highland plantations. Of those communities, only Highland Plantation is located in Somerset County.

The legal aspects of the plan will be reviewed and school boards will be asked to vote to submit the plan to the state Department of Education commissioner. School directors are not allowed to change the plan.

Although the planning committee voted to approve the plan, the vote was split with the majority favoring it but several not. The number of dissenting votes was not available Friday.

Under the plan, the new school system – if the commissioner and voters in towns approve it in June, would have a 25-member board with each member having a weighted vote based on the town’s population.

The committee did remove a 60 percent majority requirement to have items passed.

Instead, they’ll have a true weighted vote based on population of every town, SAD 9 assistant Superintendent Susan Pratt said.

The plan calls for the consolidated central administrative staff to be relocated to a more geographical central location.

Planning meetings were contentious at times, Co-chairman Ray Glass said, but people did their best and tried to work out issues.

“We are looking at a consolidated administration plan,” he said. The plan calls for one superintendent and two assistant superintendents.

There are four superintendents and two assistant superintendents for the four school systems. Highland and Coplin have superintendents and school boards but tuition students to SAD 58.

The plan also reduces central office staff a little bit, Glass said.

“One of the things we found is for the first three years, there are no savings that we see,” Glass said.

The regional planning committee’s Finance Committee, which had some pretty sharp people on it including business representatives, Glass said, came to the conclusion that both districts are operating at an efficient level, and there are not many places to cut without affecting students.

SAD 9 and SAD 58 have a good solid foundation of voluntary collaboration, he added.

Once the commissioner decides to accept the plan, he said, the regional planning committee will probably reconvene and discuss ways to inform the public about the pros and cons of the proposal and how it will affect them and students.

SAD 9 directors are scheduled to take up submitting the plan during their 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 12 meeting at Mt. Blue High School library.

SAD 58 directors are expected to take up the plan at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Kingfield Elementary School.

It was unknown Friday when the Coplin and Highland plantation school boards would consider voting on submitting the plan.