Westport Island Withdrawal Committee Chairman Gerald Bodmer said he was very encouraged by what was accomplished at the first negotiation meeting with the RSU 12 Negotiating Committee, held January 3 at the Wiscasset High School Library.

Westport Island voted this past June to begin the withdrawal process from the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12, and submitted its first withdrawal agreement proposal in September 2012.

Chairman of the RSU Ad-hoc Negotiation Committee Melinda Caron had asked the withdrawal committee to consider waiting to negotiate until after Wiscasset’s negotiations were completed. According to Caron, some of what Westport Island is asking for from the RSU in its withdrawal plan the RSU would not be able to support if Wiscasset voted to withdraw.

Westport Island’s withdrawal plan is to continue partnering with RSU 12 for their students, administrative services and transportation.

If the town of Westport did not join another OAS, RSU, or SAD, within two years, they could become members of the RSU 12, according to the plan.

However, the withdrawal committee decided to move forward with negotiations with a goal of completing negotiations by January 14, 2013.

“We really made process at our negotiation workshop,” Bodmer said. “We discussed and have come to agreement on eight of the 20 items listed on the proposed withdrawal plan.”

Bodmer also made it clear there was no agreement signed because on the eight paragraphs the two committees agreed upon, some changes in the wording were needed to be acceptable to the negotiating committee.

“We (the withdrawal committee) agreed to make the changes,” Bodmer said.

The next meeting for the two committees to continue their negotiations is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 11 in the Wiscasset High School Library at 4 p.m. The agenda will include Westport Island’s submitting revision “C” of their withdrawal plan, which includes the changes in the eight items previously discussed January 3.

Westport Island has requested two extensions from the Department of Education in submitting its withdrawal plan.

The recent extension will expire March 19, 2013. In order to meet that deadline, the RSU 12 Negotiation Committee must approve the plan by January 14, according to Bodmer.

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