RANGELEY -– School reorganization information meetings and an important vote at the polls is before residents who live within the Rangeley Regional School District.

The Union RSU 37 Regional Planning Committee is scheduling a series of informational meetings and has preliminary state approval to consolidate within its own district.

More than a year ago, voters shot down a proposal to merge with MSAD #44. Since then the legislature has passed LD 467, which granted towns such as Rangeley and its participating school departments, and other communities such as Jackman and Greenville, to be exempt from the consolidation law. The legislation says that these communities are “isolated” districts and are not mandated to consolidate. This allows them to fall into similar exemption status as some of the islands districts in the state do.

Prior to the consolidation law, the Rangeley board members were already talking about improving the structure. The intent was to provide more voice for the plantations by consolidating the current structure of many school boards into one reorganized and unified board.

Currently, the structure includes a Rangeley School Board, as well as school boards for Dallas, Lincoln, Magalloway, Sandy River and Rangeley plantations.

Members have realized that efficiencies can be gained and some costs can be saved by creating one board.

“Last year they were voting on what Augusta was telling them to do,” said Brian Foster, Union 37’s superintendent. “Now they are voting on something they want to do that makes sense for all the communities in the union.”

The new board, if voted in, will have 13 mem- bers with representation from each of the communities. Dallas, Sandy and Rangeley plantations will have two members and Lincoln and Magalloway will have one member each. The Town of Rangeley will have five members. Each member will have a weighted vote based on the population of each community.

The advantages include voting representation from every town and plantation over things like school budgets, school management and governance of the district. A new funding formula would create an equitable share of costs for towns and plantations for educating students. And savings will occur as a result of not duplicating services. As an example, Foster explained, sometimes grants or other applications require a board decision or board action from all six boards. Cases like that in the past created the need for six meetings with six school boards duplicating the process.

School officials are stating that there should be no direct changes for the students or staff. If a plantation now has school choice, that will remain intact should the referendum pass.

Responsibility for all RLRS buildings and grounds will be assumed by the new reorganized district as well as any debt service.

This is a wonderful opportunity for them and was presented to them with the passage of LD 467, Foster said.

“It’s a fairness issue,” said Rangeley board chair Ginny Nuttal. “Over 30 percent of our school population is not Rangeley residents. It seems only fair that these communities can share in a voice. They will be given a voice and a fair share in paying for the cost for the education of students.”

The new funding formula will be based on a combination of the State Essential Programs and Services formula and with consideration of student enrollment.

The weighted vote does empower each of the five Rangeley board members, who’ll be assigned 235 votes per member. Dallas with its two board members shall get 120 votes each. Rangeley Plantation’s two board members will have 59 votes each and Sandy River’s two voices will be assigned 45 votes each. Lincoln’s and Magalloway’s sole representative will get 45 and 36 votes respectively.

“The weighted vote needed to be done because it creates a fairness based on population,” Foster said. The superintendent explained that the new board may change the weighted vote based on its discretion. Or policies can be created, Forster explained, such as what issues can be based on a popular vote verses what will be based on the weighted vote.

For example, employment issues, allowable field trips and other decisions could be determined by a popular vote and issues such as budget items and other issues could be developed through the weighted vote.

The savings are not huge, Foster explained, but he did say that some savings will occur in the business office, in transportation and due to lesser demand on governance.

A copy of the Reorganization Plan is available at the Superintendent’s Office or with each of the school board chairs. It is also available online at the school’s Web site along with other helpful information.

Nuttal said that the Rangeley School Board supports the reorganization plans, and demonstrated that by sending the application to the State Department of Education for preliminary approval.

Foster said he expects the Union Board will also endorse the plan at an upcoming meeting and the plan should come to the voters with little opposition.

Voting will take place on Nov. 3 at local polling places. If passed, a new board will be elected in January 2010 and will work with the Rangeley School Board in developing the 2010-11 budget as well as work on the transition. It is expected that the new unified, reorganized school board will take over on July 1, 2010.

“If you want your town to be part of the new Reorganization Plan vote ‘yes’ on the Reorganization Plan local ballot,” a brochure says.

A public information meeting was held in Rangeley on Oct. 13. Sandy River Plantation will hold an informational meeting at its town office tonight, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. Other informational meetings include Rangeley Plantation on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. and Dallas Plantation on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m., both at the town office. Magalloway and Lincoln plantations scheduled an informational meeting to be held on Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Magalloway Town Office.

At all meetings, representatives of the RSU’s Reorganization Planning Committee are expected to be in attendance to explain the process and answer questions.