Wiscasset School Committee member Sharon Nichols is leaving the panel two years before her term is up. Her April 3 resignation letter states that she cannot support a three-school budget.

Nichols’ research as a school committee member and, before that, a founding member of the citizens group, Wiscasset Educational Research Panel, has led her to conclude a two-school system is the way to go.

“(It’s) our first responsible step to reducing the tax burden of the town and the way to improve the educational opportunities for our students,” Nichols writes.

“During the budget process, it has become clear to me that the majority of the board did not support my vision for the future of the Wiscasset school system ... I cannot support the proposed three building budget that wastes valuable tax dollars and resources to support a school system that is now (two-thirds) smaller than the design standards for our buildings,” her letter states.

“Doug Smith, Gene Stover and I ran for school board because we had a shared vision of reducing costs and improving educational outcomes for the students,” Nichols adds. She and Stover won seats. Doug Smith lost the three-way race he, Nichols and Steve Smith were in for two terms ending in 2016.

“I would like to thank the citizens that voted for me and am sorry that Wiscasset appears to be headed down the continuing path of higher taxes and declining enrollment,” Nichols states in the letter. She plans to end her service on the committee in June.

Wiscasset Town Clerk Christine Wolfe said Nichols’ resignation means there will be a second school committee vacancy for voters to fill in the June 10 municipal elections. Colleen Bennett’s current term expires in June; she said she plans to seek reelection to the committee. The term on the seat Nichols was elected to runs out in June 2016.

The June school committee elections will be for a new three-year term on the seat Bennett was elected to in January; and for the two years left on the term Nichols is vacating.

Nomination papers for both seats, and for all other town elections on the June ballot,  will be due April 25, Wolfe said.