Now is the time to act!

Rangeley has a chance to insure that we can keep the LOCAL CONTROL of the school. There is presently a bill before the legislature -—LD-467— which would grant an exemption from the school reorganization law to the communities of Rangeley, Greenville and Jackman. The law would allow us to form a school administrative structure with just the communities of Union 37 — Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation, Dallas, Sandy River, Lincoln and Magalloway.

As many of you know, Union 37 (Rangeley and the five plantations) have worked hard with in the present consolidation law to try form an RSU and find cost savings. In fact we have made four different attempts. The last one was voted down by the Union 37 towns, sending a clear message that the towns people want to keep their local control and want to see real savings if we become an RSU.

Now we have an opportunity where our community can send a clear message again, this time to the state legislature. In the next month this bill — LD-467— will go through the steps of the legislative process: 1) being recommended to committee by the legislative leadership, 2) hearings in the legislative committee, 3)recommendations from the education committee to the legislature to pass or not to pass, and 4) votes of 2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate (2/3 vote is required because this is emergency legislation and would go into effect immediately).

Each step of the way there are things you can do. Our own legislators, Senator Gooley and Representative Crockett sponsored the legislation. If you know other members of the legislature or leaders of the house or senate, contact them and ask for their support.

We need Rangeley community members to attend the committee meeting in Augusta and to show support of LD-467 by going to the state house on the day or days that the bill is voted on in the House and the Senate.

If you have questions about what you can do, contact Ginny Nuttall or any Rangeley School Board member or any plantation school board member. If you did not attend the planning meeting on March 19, you can sign up at school to be notified when we need to act.

Facts sheets about the law and why we need to have it passed can be picked up at the town office and the school.

We need your help!

Ginny Nuttall is the Chairperson of the Rangeley School Board and the Co-chairperson of the RSU Planning Committee.