PARIS – Local schools stress a small community atmosphere, and administrators fear this would be lost with the governor’s statewide school consolidation plan.

Residents, on the other hand, fear for their pocketbooks and wonder if the governor’s plan will really bring the savings it boasts.

This was the general tone of a public forum Monday night, where school administrators answered questions about the proposed plan. The audience, which included residents, school board members and teachers, asked their representatives questions afterward.

Input at the forum was intended for the representatives to take back to Augusta and keep in mind while casting votes.

The school consolidation plan intends to slash the number of school districts in Maine, eyeing a savings on central office personnel and teachers.

Locally, SAD 17 would be combined with SAD 39, making them the one of the least affected in the state.

Administrators and representatives agreed that there would be benefits to consolidating the two districts.

Monday night, SAD 39 Superintendent Richard Colpitts noted that his 600-student district already leans on the larger SAD 17 in many ways, sharing resources and vocational programs.

The two districts are already discussing giving Colpitts the hat of assistant superintendent for SAD 17, along with his current job.

David Mason, in charge of the Oxford Hills technical school, worried about the ability of the school to function as a separate entity if the plan is enacted.

While SAD 17 Superintendent Mark Eastman expressed many concerns, the largest is that the government would exercise a top-down control and community involvement would be lost.

“My most serious concern is the loss of 650 teachers,” Eastman said. “I can’t think that would be good for kids.”

He later added: “Large, regional boards will have no such passion for small schools.”

Residents asked if they would really see a $250 million savings and what the costs would be in implementing the plan.

Representatives noted that this savings would be spread out over three years.

One person echoed an administrator’s concern: Is it even possible to get this done in the governor’s short timeline?

A West Paris resident, who also teaches at SAD 39, said he is happy with the current system and didn’t see the merit in changing it.

“I’m very proud of the school system and very happy with local control,” he said.