LIVERMORE FALLS — RSU 73 directors voted Thursday to approve two ad hoc committees to address the disposition of closed schools and to determine the scope of an addition to the Jay high school campus.

Both committees will need volunteers, including community members, teachers and students.

The makeup of each subcommittee — the Building Disposition Subcommittee and the Building Addition Subcommittee would be two teachers representing north and south campus high schools; one citizen representative each from Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls; RSU 73 maintenance and transportation director or a delegated representative; and two high school students, one from each campus. Each will be chaired by a Regional School Unit 73 director.

The principals of both south and north campuses will be on the Building Addition Subcommittee and will be present for the Building Disposition Subcommittee, as needed.

The subcommittees will make recommendations to the board’s Facilities Committee, which will then make a recommendation to the school board for a vote.

Board Chairwoman Denise Rodzen of Livermore Falls appointed Director Jackie Knight to be chairwoman of the Building Disposition Subcommittee. Rodzen appointed board Vice Chairwoman Mary Redmond-Luce of Jay to be chairwoman of the Building Addition Subcommittee.

Interested people wanting to serve on either committee can contact the Central Office in Livermore Falls at 897-6722.

Both committees will start work on or about Wednesday, Feb. 1.

The charge of the Building Disposition Subcommittee will be to study the options for closed school buildings: Livermore Falls Middle School and Livermore Falls High School.

Voters approved closing the middle school in April 2011. A referendum will go to residents of Livermore and Livermore Falls in late March or April to consider closing the high school.

The charge for that committee will also include deciding whether the buildings are to remain intact and making recommendations that would enable the buildings to be maintained using a minimum of taxpayer funds.

Options to be studied are whether to transfer to the town of Livermore Falls, lease to another entity for educational purposes such as a community college or adult education, or lease to another entity for an acceptable alternative use.

The Building Addition Subcommittee’s charge would be to determine the scope of the project to build an addition onto Jay High School.

The committee would have to determine how many square feet are needed, configuration of space, parking and site improvements, and what is needed for fixed and movable equipment and fixtures.

Members would also look at a timeline planning backward from the occupancy date, determine the cost of the project, financing and bonding, and project management.

Superintendent Bob Wall said he hoped to bring information on the design-build process for the addition to the next school board meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Cedar Street Complex in Livermore Falls.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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