Members of the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 Board of Directors hope to resolve a transportation conundrum that is a result of two towns considering withdrawing from the school district. 

Westport Island Withdrawal Committee members approached the school district's Board of Directors during their March 14 meeting to discuss a possible one-year transportation contract between the town and the RSU. It is one of several issues the committee is negotiating with the RSU in the withdrawal process.

The contract seeks to ensure bus transportation for students in the event Westport Island successfully withdraws from the school district, but RSU board members have expressed concerns about losing transportation facilities if Wiscasset withdraws, too. 

During a meeting last month, board members had said they did not want to sign such a contract. Since that time, RSU attorney William Stockmeyer recommended they not commit to a transportation contract, according to Whitefield board member and ad-hoc RSU Withdrawal Committee chairman Malinda Caron.

Westport Island selectman and committee member Jerry Bodmer referred to the revised one-year transportation contract and said, “We think it's good for RSU 12 as well as naturally it's going to benefit the students and residents of Westport Island.”

Westport Island committee member Mort Mendes said he could not understand why the RSU board would not want to agree to such a contract. “We were a little bit shocked,” Mendes said. “Because it doesn't really make any sense to us.” The school district has the buses, the driver and facilities and Westport Island is willing to pay for the cost, as well as to allow the RSU to make a profit, he said. 

In response to district board member concerns about the RSU losing bus facilities, Mendes said the one-year contract provides an “out.” Westport Island also has a back-up plan if the RSU does not agree to a transportation contract.

The town has about 70 students, less than 40 of whom ride the bus, according to Westport Island committee member Dennis Dunbar. The variable cost per year, he said, is about $39,500. 

Dunbar said the town had been paying variable and fixed costs in excess of $60,000 per year prior to joining the RSU and it would be in the town's and school district's best interests for Westport Island to fund transportation at the higher level.

Dunbar said they have contingency plans to provide bus service for island students through First Student and Bath Bus Service, but believes it is more cost-effective and beneficial to continue bus service through the RSU. 

Stockmeyer remains concerned about the liability for the RSU if it retains a bus driver without knowing whether Wiscasset will stay with this school district, according to board chairman Hilary Holm. The current contract for the driver will run until mid-2014, she said, and will likely be renegotiated for another three years. 

Holm said Stockmeyer is drafting a possible agreement that would give Wiscasset the responsibility of the Westport Island bus driver and route should Wiscasset withdraw from the school district. Board members said they would wait to hear from Stockmeyer before making a decision about transportation with Westport Island.