POLAND – The public hearing on the plan to consolidate Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland schools into one system drew not a single member of the general public this week.

Commenting on the fact that there were no questions, indeed no one to ask questions, following Wednesday night’s brief televised presentation of the plan’s key elements, Poland Town Manager Dana Lee attributed the silence to what he believed was a general contentment with and acceptance of the consolidation plan.

“Recently, I’ve spoken with John Hawley, town manager over in Mechanic Falls, and Rhonda Irish in Minot and we all agree the relative quiet probably bodes well. When there was consolidation talk with Gray-New Gloucester, we heard a lot,” Lee said.

The fact that people in the three towns have worked together “practically forever” and the level of familiarity with a plan that has grown – albeit with a strong push from state policy to reduce the number of school administrative districts – out of that shared experience, he added, “contributes to the high level of comfort.”

Colleen Quint said the 23-member committee that produced the plan brought voices and views from the full spread of interests and concerns of all three towns.

The result, she said, is that virtually everyone knows someone on the committee of whom they can say, “I trust that person’s judgment. I trust that person to represent my interest.”

School Superintendent Dennis Duquette outlined some of his proposals to reduce costs and improve efficiencies that he estimates will result in a $525,000 savings in the new district’s first-year budget over what the three towns might have otherwise spent should they continue on their separate ways.

Duquette foresees savings through consolidation of the three transportation departments and the three food service departments and by reductions in administrative and teaching staffs.

Poland School Committee member Norm Davis noted that under the present arrangement, the three towns have a central office responsible for crafting and managing four separate budgets and controlling three separate payrolls, with the added feature that each pay period, central office personnel receive three paychecks, one from each of the three towns.

“There’s a lot of administrative inefficiencies; we’ve been out in left field for years,” he said.

A public hearing on the consolidation plan held at Elm Street School Tuesday night for Mechanic Falls residents had a turnout similar to Poland’s.

Elm Street School Principal Mary Martin said the hearing drew three visitors, including state Sen. John Nutting, and produced only a couple of pro-forma questions.

“It appears people are seeing this plan as the best alternative,” Martin said.

Residents of the three towns will determine the consolidation plan’s fate in the voting booth on Nov. 4.

There remain two opportunities for people to learn more about the plan: a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Minot Consolidated School and a call-in show on public access TV Channel 11 at 7 p.m. Oct. 29.