POLAND – The Union 29 reorganization planning committee approved a plan for the school departments of Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland to become one system.

The plan, which received unanimous endorsement of all present Wednesday night, is the product of the efforts of 23 representatives from the three towns, supported by a half dozen school officials. They spent the past two months crafting what they hope will offer the best possible education by sharing resources in the most cost-effective way.

After the vote, Chairman Colleen Quint commended committee members for their good will in confronting the difficult issues that school consolidation raises.

“You made it the easiest local project I’ve worked on. Everyone worked with good will, everyone did a lot of heavy lifting,” she said.

The plan goes to the three towns’ individual school committees next week for approval before it is submitted to the state Department of Education.

School committee approvals are virtually assured as a majority of the members served on the reorganization planning committee. The plan is expected to be delivered to Augusta before the Aug. 25 deadline.

Maine Department of Education officials have already approved sections of the plan dealing with the governance framework and how the budget for its first school year will be handled.

The towns expect to hear back on the full reorganization plan by early September.

This timetable sets the stage for the plan to go before voters in all three towns Nov. 4.

Minot member Steve Holbrook acknowledged that the plan won’t be an easy sell.

“It hurts what we had to do, what we had to give for teacher raises to bring ours up to Poland’s, but I’ll back the plan. The cost savings are going to be a wash, maybe we’ll save six or seven years down the road,” Holbrook said.

Poland member Faye Luppi pointed out that outside economic factors, escalating fuel costs a prime example, very well may mask any glimpse of cost saving.

“Would there be any way to show how costs would have increased more if we stayed separate?” Luppi asked.

Poland Town Manager Dana Lee suggested that any estimate of cost savings included the new or expanded programs that might be created as resources are consolidated, “added offerings that may come at essentially no new cost.”

Dave Griffiths of Mechanic Falls was concerned about the effects of turning down the plan.

“We have to spell out what happens if it’s voted down. That would be a disaster for everybody, expensive for everybody and bad for our kids,” Griffiths said.