LIVERMORE — The second of three public hearings on a plan to consolidate Jay, and Livermore and Livermore Falls school systems is Wednesday.

More than 90 people from the three communities developed the plan that a Reorganizational Planning Committee said is expected to enhance education offerings and be more cost-efficient to taxpayers.

Voters will have the final say on the merger between the Jay School Department and Regional School Unit 36 on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the polls in the three towns.

The informational hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, at the Livermore Elementary School gym. The final hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, at the Livermore Falls High School cafeteria.

The hearings are open to residents of all three towns.

The plan is expected to alleviate about $400,000 in penalties to the two systems combined. The penalties would come by way of reduced state aid for education.

The plan does not include closing any schools.

However, a subcommittee of the Reorganization Planning Committee has recommended that a new board of directors consider closing the Livermore Falls Middle School in the first year. Another recommendation is to close the Livermore Falls High School in the second year. Both would be to maximize efficiency. Students at those schools would attend Jay schools. Both Jay and Livermore elementary schools are recommended to remain open.

The plan calls for a 13-member board to be elected: Six from Jay, three from Livermore and four from Livermore Falls.

The only cost-sharing slated in the plan is the money that would need to be raised above what the state allocation and local required contribution for the regular budget. The two systems have a combined budget of nearly $18.5 million.

For example, the amount that would have been shared in the current budget year if the two systems were combined, would have been $1.59 million or 7 percent, according to information presented at the first hearing in Jay in December.

If combined, Jay taxpayers would have paid $39,674.67 less than they paid in the current budget. Livermore would have paid $20,409.40 more and Livermore Falls, $19,265.27 more.

[email protected]