RUMFORD – People in the four SAD 43 towns will receive brochures Friday outlining data about a proposed administrative merger with neighboring SADs 21 and 39 and the town of Hanover.

SAD 43 Superintendent Jim Hodgkin told his board Monday night that his role is to provide an unbiased presentation on the possible merger.

“There are pros and cons. Let the people decide,” he said.

People in the other two districts and Hanover will receive brochures at about the same time.

State law requires school districts to partner with others to improve education and cost savings. The goal is to decrease the number of school units.

If voters in the three districts approve a merger, the three central offices would be reduced to one, and other cost sharing steps would be taken.

Hodgkin said he plans to present a presentation at a district workshop on Friday, then again at the board’s next meeting Oct. 20. He will provide additional presentations to staff members unable to view it during the workshop after classes let out.

“Our plan has been approved by the Department of Education and we’re all set for the informational meetings and the Nov. 4 vote,” he said.

If voters approve the Western Foothills Regional School Unit, total student enrollment will be about 3,000, a number statistics have shown to be the most economically efficient and educationally sound.

Hodgkin said potential partner SAD 39 based in Buckfield has scheduled an additional informational session for Wednesday to explain why Buckfield, Sumner and Hartford are seeking to partner with SADs 21 and 43 instead of its closest neighbor, SAD 17 based in Norway-Paris.

Official informational sessions are scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 15 in Hanover; 6 p.m. Oct. 21 in Buckfield; 6 p.m. Oct. 22 in Dixfield; and 6 p.m. Oct. 23 in Rumford.

In other matters on Monday, buildings, grounds and transportation director Kenny Robbins made his first presentation to the SAD 43 board since SADs 43 and 21 agreed to share one director in July.

Robbins, director of buildings, grounds and transportation in SAD 21 in Dixfield for years, now devotes about 55 percent of his time to SAD 43 and 45 percent to SAD 21.

He told the board that he generally devotes mornings to SAD 43 and afternoons to SAD 21. He said he can be reached 24 hours a day via his cell phone.

Negotiations to begin work toward a new contract with the bus driver-custodian bargaining unit are slated to begin Oct. 9. Hodgkin said the negotiating committee will meet to review the process.