Resistance is growing!
SEARSPORT — SAD 56 school board members discussed joining an effort opposing the state’s school district consolidation law Tuesday, but decided to take no action until more research is done.
The issue was raised by board member Jim Cunningham, who said he had seen several articles in the Bangor Daily News recently detailing efforts by people in Washington County and in Stonington to fight the school district consolidation legislation.
Superintendent Mary Szwec shared one of those articles with board and audience members, which detailed the effort of Stonington resident Lawrence “Skip� Greenlaw, Jr. to repeal the law. According to the article, Greenlaw’s plan is to mount a petition drive asking legislators to repeal the law.
Greenlaw told the Bangor newspaper he plans to hold a press conference Friday, Sept. 15 in Bangor to kick off the petition campaign. The article said the petition would need 55,087 signatures to be sent to legislators, but Greenlaw said he hopes to get 100,000 signatures.
“It’s not that difficult to get 55,000 signatures,� said board member Veronica Magnan. “It really isn’t. I think it’s something we might look into.�
Magnan said if members of school boards across the state helped get signatures, it would not be that difficult to accomplish.
Board Chairman Bob Danks said despite the interest voiced by some people, he felt SAD 56 needed to move ahead with its plan to merge with SAD 34 in order to comply with the state law. Danks said SAD 56 should plan as if the consolidation mandate will remain law, rather than hope that it might be overturned and then not have that happen.
Danks said he would entertain a motion to form a subcommittee to look into joining the anti-consolidation effort, however, and have that group report back to the full board at its next meeting. Cunningham made the motion to do so, and it was seconded by board member Harold Grove. The vote in favor of forming the subcommittee was unanimous.
Cunningham, Grove and Magnan volunteered to serve on the committee. Szwec said Cunningham would facilitate the group.
