The Westport Island Withdrawal Committee continued its negotiations with the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit ad-hoc negotiating committee Monday evening, with the committee tentatively approving four items on the town’s withdrawal plan.

The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 24 at the Wiscasset High School Library beginning at 6 p.m. The agenda will include submitting revision “D” of the town’s withdrawal plan.

There are 20 items to be addressed in the withdrawal plan. According to Gerald Bodmer, Chairman of Westport Island Withdrawal Committee, the negotiations are going very well.

The two committees are planning to address seven items at their next meeting. “I am very encouraged with the progress we are making,” Bodmer said.

Westport Island’s withdrawal plan is to continue partnering with RSU 12 for its students, administrative services and transportation. The town is also proposing in its plan, should the town of not join another OAS, RSU, or SAD within two years they could rejoin the RSU.

The withdrawal committee’s goal was to complete negotiations by January 14, 2013. Westport Island has requested two extensions from the Department of Education in submitting its withdrawal plan. The recent extension will expire March 19, 2013. It had previously been reported that in order to meet that deadline, the RSU 12 negotiating committee must approve the plan by January 14. However, that deadline has been extended to February 13,  according to Bodmer.

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