Members of the RSU Ad-hoc Negotiating Committee and the Wiscasset Withdrawal Committee spent two hours going over a counter proposal prepared by the RSU 12 at a meeting Monday, Jan. 21.

The Withdrawal Committee submitted a 6-page draft withdrawal plan to the RSU several months ago and received a 17-page counter offer two days before the Monday evening meeting.   

The Withdrawal Committee, along with consultant Ray Poulin and legal representative, attorney David Ray, used the meeting to go over the complexity of the plan and to ensure they understood just what the RSU was proposing.

The Withdrawal Committee will meet Thursday, Jan. 31, to discuss the proposal.

Poulin pointed out areas that would need discussion.

The counter proposal additions to the withdrawal plan in Section 1 Purpose include: “To compensate RSU 12 for having agreed to assume capital debt for Wiscasset Middle School based upon Wiscasset’s agreement to join the RSU, funds that might otherwise have been expended for capital needs in other RSU12 schools; and to fairly allocate responsibility for RUS12’s other debt and financial and contractual obligations and to fairly allocate RSU 12’s assets.”

The effective date of withdrawal in the RSU proposal is July 1, 2014; the town’s withdrawal committee’s plan the effective date would be July 1, 2013.

Stockmeyer told the committee there was too much to do to expect it could be completed for a July 1, 2013 effect date of withdrawal.  

RSU Chairman Hilary Holm said the vote to withdraw can be taken at any time, but an effective date of withdrawal has to be July 1.

Withdrawal Committee member Jason Downing said if the RSU had started this process in July that they would have been able finish for a July 1, 2013 effective withdrawal date.

Stockmeyer said he understand the frustration, but asked that the committee understand the position of the RSU. Currently three of the RSU towns are considering withdrawing.

The RSU will have to develop a budget with many different scenarios; without Wiscasset, with Wiscasset, with or without Westport Island and Palermo. According to Stockmeyer, the uncertainty is also frustrating to the RSU.

In the counter proposal, the RSU is asking that students from the remaining RSU towns continue to have the choice of attending Wiscasset Schools. Alna students K-12; Westport Island students K-12; Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Whitefield, and Windsor secondary students, and the new Wiscasset SAU agrees that it shall not close any schools for a period of 10 years from the effective date.

The issue of special education students attending Wiscasset High School from other RSU towns is included in the RSU proposal. Wiscasset special education students attending RSU schools and RSU 12 students attending Wiscasset schools are among the issues to be negotiated.

The counter proposal is also asking that Wiscasset make a commitment to share responsibility for financial commitments.

Those debts include the Windsor School construction project; the Chelsea Elementary School Construction project; the Wiscasset Middle School Roof and Ventilation system project; and 73.99 percent reimbursement of the amount the RSU paid on a Revolving Renovation Fund bond issued to Wiscasset by the Maine Municipal Bond Bank.

Poulin pointed out to the RSU representatives that Wiscasset has been paying toward the debts from Chelsea and Windsor since becoming a member of the RSU, and questioned why they should continue to pay should the town vote to withdraw from the RSU.

Stockmeyer said that Wiscasset made a commitment to share responsibility for these debts. The decision by Wiscasset to withdraw will leave the other RSU towns with increased debt unless Wiscasset fulfills its obligations.

The list goes on in the counter proposal in what Wiscasset should reimburse the RSU for: Major technology expenditures; major equipment expenses; photocopier/imaging financing and other contracts.

Other issues on the table include bus ownership, outstanding purchase agreements for buses; title to the bus garage; employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements of employees driving or working at the garage; and the transfer of town real estate.

The withdrawal committee requested further information from the RSU before another meeting with the RSU negotiating committee can be definitely scheduled.

The RSU negotiating committee chairman, Malinda Caron asked the two boards to keep February 7 at 6 p.m. open for the next meeting. If the Withdrawal Committee is not ready to begin negotiations, it will be re-scheduled.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.