It was a large, diverse crowd - area town officials, school board members, teaching staff and administrators, parents, and interested residents - at the Edgecomb Eddy School Tuesday evening to express their concerns about Governor Baldacci's plan to redistrict schools throughout the state as a cost-saving measure.

Boothbay Town Manager John Anderson introduced Geoff Herman of the Maine Municipal Association, who outlined five of the plans for schools (there are expected to be more), and compared them to the Governor's plan. Several merely recommend a study committee implement their suggestions. However, the governor's proposal is more specific in its intent, recommending a decrease in the number of school districts under one superintendent and one school board. Locally, 21 towns would be grouped together. The newly appointed school board, which would in all likelihood not have a representative from each town, would be responsible for overseeing all of the schools, with a budget of its own. The plan would go into effect the end of the next school year.

One fear of many residents was the fate of small schools which often tend to be more costly to maintain. Under the plan, all schools would become the property of the newly formed districts; however, any debt on them would remain the towns/school district's. The new boards could vote to close any school they felt was too costly to operate, and, while the townspeople could override that decision, they would be responsible for funding their own school without state support.

Herman fielded a number of questions, some of which were directed to Senator Dana Dow, who was in the audience, as well as Rep. Jon McKane. Dow acknowledged that the only plan which has really come up for discussion to date in Augusta is the governor's, and said he was in attendance to listen to the other proposals to better familiarize himself with the pros and cons of the various proposals. He said he shared their deep concern that small schools, so important to a community, be maintained, especially island schools which are crucial to keeping young families in residence.

Union 49 Superintendent of Schools Eileen King urged those present to work toward protecting the quality of education which Maine currently provides its young people, saying that the state is a leader when it comes to the amount of money for schools which directly benefits children in the classroom.

Herman, making it clear he was not there to defend or oppose any of the plans outlined in a packet which he had made available, described a plan which was developed by Maine Municipal Association, the MainerEducation Association, State Chamber, and hospitals, which calls for school officials in the governor's proposed districts working together on cost-saving measures, but still under the control of their local towns and school districts. Its goal, according to the plan, is to reduce expenditures for state and local school administrative services for grades K-12 by a minimum of 10 percent by the school year 2009-2010.

Those in attendance asked many questions and made just as many observations during the hour and a half meeting and indicated they will be following the issue closely in coming weeks.

Governor Baldacci and Education Commissioner Susan Gendron were scheduled to speak to the Southern Midcoast Maine chapter Thursday morning in Brunswick and to have an all-day session Monday at the Augusta Civic Center, expected to draw a large crowd.

(Those wanting copies of the various plans for schools which have been introduced thus far should contact their town office, since Herman told the group Maine Municipal Association would make copies of the various plans available to those who requested them.)