BETHEL — SAD 44 board Chairwoman Lainey Cross has set the first meeting of the Andover Withdrawal Committee for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Andover Town Office.

Committee members are SAD 44 board member Tim Akers, Andover Selectman Susan Merrow, On Our Own Committee member Paula Lee and citizen representative David Percival.

The meeting is strictly organizational, Merrow said. A chairman will be elected and meeting schedules devised.

Once the committee is organized and a course of action determined, the Withdrawal Committee will meet with Superintendent David Murphy to begin negotiations. For now, Murphy said no action of any kind will be taken by the district.

A majority of Andover residents voted to begin the withdrawal process a couple of months ago. The lengthy process takes from 18 months to two years and an educational program for the town’s students must be developed by the withdrawing town and approved by the state’s education commissioner.

Also at this week’s SAD 44 board meeting, the board approved going ahead with an application for a Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corp. grant that would benefit middle-school-age students. Such a grant provides support and encouragement for students to think about and take action for their post-secondary futures.

Murphy said the district has received similar grants for high school students for several years, enabling college visits and other support for students.

This will be the first time the middle school will apply. If successful, the grant would provide about $6,000 or $7,000 a year for encouraging younger students to look toward their futures.

In other matters, Murphy said the board:

* Awarded the contract for plowing and sanding district schools to Cross Excavation of Bethel at the same rate as last year.

* Awarded the contract for the purchase of a new warm air furnace for the district’s bus garage to Fields Plumbing and Heating of Bethel at a cost of $19,330.

* Appointed Norm Greenberg to a middle school social studies position; he had been serving as an interim teacher.

Murphy said the replacement of the sound system and other updates at the Helen C. Berry Auditorium in the Telstar complex are nearly complete.