BETHEL — SAD 44 voters will wait until November to decide on a change to the formula for sharing school costs among the district’s four towns: Bethel, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock. The school board voted 7-3 on Monday against placing the budget question on the ballot for June 12. The seven directors who voted in […]
Newry Withdrawal
Posted inBethel
SAD 44 gears up for third vote on cost-sharing formula
BETHEL — The School Administrative District 44 board voted Tuesday night to accept a citizen petition calling for a committee to study the cost-sharing formula for the four district towns. The petition, which contained nearly 300 signatures, was presented to Superintendent David Murphy last week. It was prompted by the board’s vote in February to […]
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Posted inRiver Valley
Withdrawal process back before Newry voters on June 13
NEWRY — Voters will go to the polls June 13 to decide whether they want to end the school withdrawal process, which is intended to lead to a vote on whether to leave SAD 44. The referendum vote was prompted by a petition submitted to selectmen earlier this month by former Selectman Steve Wight. Negotiations […]
Posted inRiver Valley
SAD 44 school board encouraged by letter from Newry withdrawal committee
BETHEL — SAD 44 Director Marcel Polak said he was encouraged by a letter from Jim Sysko of the Newry Withdrawal Committee that the committee wants to negotiate an agreement. The letter, mentioned at Monday night’s board meeting, was in response to one Sysko received from school board Chairwoman Lainey Cross on Jan. 11. Withdrawal […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Newry residents pleads with school board to ‘reset and rethink’
BETHEL — The School Administrative District 44 board of directors heard a plea Monday night to “reset and rethink” the process of Newry’s withdrawal, and issued a plea to the community concerning social media. Newry Selectman Jim Largess, who attended the meeting as a citizen, asked the directors to “step back, hit reset and rethink the […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Newry Withdrawal Committee: SAD 44’s response insulting
NEWRY — Newry Withdrawal Committee members Wednesday sharply criticized a letter from School Administrative District 44 Chairwoman Lainey Cross charging the committee with failing to negotiate in good faith. Committee member William Andrews said he was “outraged and personally insulted” by the letter Chairman Jim Sysko received Tuesday. It was the latest disagreement in the more […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Newry’s attempts to withdraw met with resistance from state
NEWRY — Scott Cole and state Rep. Fran Head, both of Bethel, indicated to selectmen Tuesday evening that they will continue with efforts to halt Newry’s withdrawal from School Administrative District 44. Jim Sysko of the Newry Withdrawal Committee made it clear Newry will not give up its effort. If Newry leaves, Bethel, Greenwood and Woodstock would […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Newry meeting resistance in SAD 44 withdrawal
BETHEL — Since the vote to change School Administrative District 44’s cost-sharing formula failed in November, the Newry Withdrawal Committee is moving forward with the process, but not without resistance. Residents voted Nov. 8 not to change the district’s cost-sharing formula from 100 percent valuation to 90 percent valuation and 10 percent student enrollment for […]
Posted inBethel, Lewiston-Auburn, Oxford Hills
Group to seek law change to stop Newry withdrawal
NEWRY — Bethel resident Scott Cole told the Newry Withdrawal Committee Tuesday that he and others plan to seek state legislation to end the town’s School Administrative District 44 school withdrawal process. Cole, who is also county administrator for Oxford County, had said early in the Withdrawal Committee meeting that while he would like to […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, River Valley
Cost-sharing formula change: what it means for Bethel residents
BETHEL — Town Manager Christine Landes, using the proposed tax rate calculated in the last budget cycle, said taxes on a home valued at $100,000 would increase to roughly $1,470 a year under the 90 percent property valuation, 10 percent student enrollment cost-sharing formula proposed for School Administrative District 44. After that, it would be about […]