Members of the Wiscasset Withdrawal Committee said they are disappointed in the lack of action by the RSU 12 Ad-hoc Negotiating Committee.

The negotiating committee members were appointed by the RSU Board of Directors to work with the withdrawal committee on a withdrawal plan.

If approved, the plan would allow Wiscasset to leave the district, which includes schools from Wiscasset, Westport Island, Alna, Chelsea, Somerville, Whitefield and Windsor.

At a January 3 meeting, Withdrawal Committee member Tim Merry said he wanted to look into the legal issues associated with appointing a new negotiating committee and asked his fellow board members how they would feel about replacing the current negotiating committee.

“That’s a fabulous idea,” Withdrawal Committee Chairman Mary Myers said.

Merry also received support from members Jefferson Slack and Jason Downing for him to inquire into the feasibility of the town having a different negotiating committee.

“I am tired of (the negotiating committee) controlling the time line of these negotiations,” Merry said. “They have had since July 19 to work with us, and we get nothing but delays.”

Slack was instructed to speak with their attorney, Geoffrey Hole of Bernstein Shur, in requesting a new negotiating committee.

There are currently three towns in the RSU wanting to withdraw: Wiscasset; Westport Island and Palermo.

Palermo needs vote again to begin the process because their vote was taken in a town meeting and not by a referendum vote, which is required.

The committee proposed having a different negotiation team for each town.

When asked for comment on the Withdrawal committees' desire to replace the negotiating committee, RSU Board Chairman Hilary Holm said, “I cannot comment on it because we haven't been approached on any such request.”

Although Holm doesn't sit on the negotiating committee, she attends meetings with the group. As of press time, RSU Ad-hoc Negotiation Committee Chairman Melinda Caron had not responded to a request for comment.

Another indication of frustration with the RSU is a letter from the withdrawal committee's attorney to the RSU's attorney.

“I am writing to express our disappointment and dismay about the course of conduct on the RSU side,” withdrawal committee attorney Geoffrey Hole wrote to RSU attorney William Stockmeyer. “It was clear from the meeting a few days ago that as a group your side has shown no substantive attention to the withdrawal.

“In addition, the proposed date for the next meeting makes it clear the pattern of delay will continue,” Hole wrote.

“Last week I asked (Wiscasset Town Manager) Laurie Smith to schedule an executive session with the select board to give me authority to seek an injunction against this pattern of delay,” Hole wrote. “It is clear to me that we would prevail against the RSU.

“In summary, we want it to be very clear to the RSU that Wiscasset will no longer tolerate this pattern of delay.”

During a January 4 telephone interview January 4, Town Manager Smith said the selectmen did meet to discuss Hole’s request, but took no action at the time.

According to Hole, the problem with obtaining an injunction is that there is a statutory time frame set after an agreement. “The court would have to crowd the Department of Education as much as the RSU and that would not be fair for us to request. The department is blameless in this mess,” Hole wrote.

Stockmeyer presented a preliminary analysis of issues in the draft agreement proposed by Wiscasset's withdrawal committee December 6, with a commitment to draft a counter proposal agreement for consideration.

According to the withdrawal committee, they have not received a counter proposal from the RSU yet.

Because of the delays, Wiscasset will request a second extension with the Department of Education for the submission of a withdrawal agreement. Their current extension will expire January 17.

The next meeting of the withdrawal committee is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 10, at 5 p.m., with a public informational meeting to follow at 6 p.m. at the Wiscasset Fire Department to present the estimated cost of operating an independent school system.

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