JAY — The Regional Planning Committee for school consolidation voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the Governance Advisory Committee’s proposal to have a 13-member school board lead a regional school system. Voters will decide on the issue in January.

Jay school Superintendent Robert Wall, who co-chairs the Governance Committee with Regional School Unit 36 Superintendent Sue Pratt, said Wednesday the Planning Committee made the decision after a presentation by the subcommittee.

The 13-member board of directors would consist of six members from Jay, three members from Livermore and four members from Livermore Falls, Wall said.

The voting method on the panel would be one vote per person. The method and board membership are based on population.

Initially directors will be elected in staggered terms and then all terms will go to three-year terms once the initial term expires.

To start, Jay will have two board members serve three-year terms, two serve two-year terms and two serve one-year terms, Wall said.

Livermore will have one director serve three years, one director serve two years and another serve one year.

Livermore Falls membership will break down to one director serving three years, a second director serving two years and two directors serving one-year terms, Wall said.

Elections will follow the Tuesday, Jan. 25, vote if voters approve the consolidation plan.

Once the members are elected, they will meet to draw lots for their terms.

School board directors would be paid $25 for a regular meeting and subcommittee meetings, Wall said.

There would be no local school committee for the current Jay School Department or RSU 36, and the 13-member Board of Directors would oversee the regional school system, he said.

The chairperson of the board would be a voting member, Wall said.

The Finance Advisory Committee is working on a cost-sharing method to pay for the new school system. The next meeting of that committee is at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, July 22, at the Jay Superintendent’s Office at the Jay Middle School.

The next Regional Planning Committee is at 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 27, at the Jay High School library.

Meetings, agendas and minutes of the Regional Planning Committee and various advisory committees are listed on each school system’s website: www.jayschools.org and www.rsu36.org.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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