POLAND — On the heels of the second budget being defeated by 21 votes at Tuesday’s referendum election, Regional School Unit 16 Superintendent Amy Hediger proposed holding a joint meeting with town leaders before a third budget is prepared.

At Wednesday night’s special school directors meeting, Hediger said the school department needs to have “some dialogue and discussion about what they’re hearing and what they’re thinking” in the communities of Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland.

Hediger recommended the meeting be held Aug. 13 with the town managers, select boards and town council chairs joining her and School Director Chair Mary Martin and Vice Chair Joe Parent.

“I really think we have to sit down and have that important conversation,” Hediger said, adding that “we can move forward together.”

Hediger also proposed another community survey which would list what has been cut from the previous two budgets and what would be needed to get cut additionally “to satisfy and get our voters to approve.”

With guidance from the survey and town leaders, Hediger would then meet with the Budget Committee on Aug. 15 and 18 before presenting the budget to the district directors on Aug. 28.

A budget district meeting would be held Sept. 5 with voters from the three towns meeting in a town meeting format to decide the budget amount.

A validation referendum would then be held on Sept. 17.