After looking at Wiscasset joining another regional school unit or an alternate organization structure, the town’s withdrawal committee voted to recommend that Wiscasset go it alone. Members will seek an extension from the Department of Education to file their withdrawal agreement, which is due October 17.

The committee is charged with negotiating a withdrawal from their current regional school unit, a body that governs a number of schools in and around Wiscasset.

The withdrawal committee took these actions at its meeting Thursday evening, following a workshop with their consultants Norm Higgins and Raymond Poulin.

Poulin and Higgens provided information on Wiscasset's student population and student costs prior to and since Wiscasset has been a member of the regional school unit. The two consultants will now estimate the revenue Wiscasset would receive if it withdraws from Region School Unit 12, if the town decides to create its own school district.

According to committee member Mary Myers, the Regional School Unit Ad-hoc Committee will not meet with the withdrawal committee until their has been completed. The withdrawal committee has made its first draft of the agreement, which member Jefferson Slack referred to as a working document.

Withdrawal committee member Jason Downing said he believes that Wiscasset people want to have control of their schools, and the only way that can happen is “if we do it alone.” He said if the town joins another regional school unit or an alternate organization structure, Wiscasset still would not have control of its schools.

Poulin and Higgens also determined that the student population had decreased over the last 10 years and is expected to continue decreasing over the next few years; this is due to the reduction of people with children living in the area, according to the 2000 and the 2010 census.

Wiscasset citizens voted in June to begin the withdrawal process from the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12, which includes the towns of Alna, Chelsea, Somerville, Westport Island, Windsor, Whitefield, and Wiscasset.

More information to follow.

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