FREEPORT – Maine Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron attended the Durham-Freeport-Pownal regional school budget meeting Wednesday to explain the circumstances prompting her to withdraw a recent $190,000 grant proposal.

Addressing the Board of Directors and more than 130 residents from the three towns, Gendron gave details regarding the legal and financial impact of several options offered for consideration to resolve the current budget challenges.

Gendron said she had recently offered a $190,000 grant to SAD 62 (Pownal) that was intended to study the long-term financial impact and potential educational benefits of consolidation.

However, she said, the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee expressed concerns about providing funds to one system to study the impact of consolidation when other systems did not have that same opportunity – prompting her to withdraw the grant option.

The Board of Directors of the new Regional School Union 5 has struggled to prepare a budget that supports a strong educational program while limiting the tax impact on citizens. And many have voiced concerns about the higher-than-anticipated costs of consolidation.

Board members and residents questioned Gendron on a variety of possible solutions, including alternative budget agreements, delaying the implementation date of the RSU, changing the debt-sharing agreement, and legislative action that would provide relief.

Under the cost-sharing formula that has been adopted, Durham would pay 21.42 percent of the budget; Freeport, 65.98 percent; and Pownal, 12.61 percent.

The draft budget being considered is $24 million; a final budget is scheduled to be adopted May 27. This will be followed by the annual budget meeting on June 3 and a budget validation referendum in all three towns on June 9.

The commissioner said she was not authorized to delay the implementation date.

Current law requires systems to be operational by July 1. Systems found not to be in compliance face consequences that may include the loss of state subsidy.

Gendron offered to host a meeting to search for a resolution to the challenges facing the towns. The board of directors agreed to meet with her for a work session at 7 p.m. Monday at the Freeport High School cafeteria. The board will invite local municipal and school board members from Durham, Freeport and Pownal to participate in the process.