Governance Committee
of
Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 RPC
Minutes
October
10, 2007
The Governance Sub-committee of the Lisbon/M.SA.D.
No. 75 Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC) met at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday,
October 10, 2007, at
Committee members present were: Joanne Rogers (Chair); Robert W. Hill; Tim
Lavan; Dan Billings; Charles Smith and Gina Mason.
Also present were M.S.A.D. No. 75 Superintendent Michael
Wilhelm and student representatives to the RPC
Chairwoman Rogers called the meeting to order at
7:15 p.m. during the sub-committee breakout session of the RPC.
Superintendent Wilhelm provided a clarification of
sub-section 1472 (2) C and the impact of the “2%” calculation. Following discussion of various RSU
configuration options and impacts on weighted votes and community
representation, Mrs. Rogers asked for and received consensus of the Committee
to recommend an apportionment plan for weighted votes as follows:
|
Town |
2006 Federal Estimated Census |
Approximate Votes out of 1,000 |
Number of Directors |
Number of Votes Per Director |
Percentage of Voting Power Per Director |
Percentage of Voting Power Per Director
if 1,000 Votes Apportioned Equally Among 17 Directors |
|
Bowdoin |
2,934 |
96 |
2 |
48 |
4.8% |
5.80% |
|
Bowdoinham |
2,773 |
92 |
2 |
46 |
4.6% |
5.80% |
|
Harpswell |
5,204 |
171 |
3 |
57 |
5.7% |
5.80% |
|
Topsham |
9,940 |
328 |
5 |
65 |
6.5% |
5.80% |
|
|
9,419 |
312 |
5 |
62 |
6.2% |
5.80% |
|
TOTAL |
30,270 |
1,001 |
17 |
|
|
|
At the suggestion of Sam Prindall and following
discussion, Mrs. Rogers received the consensus of the Committee to recommend to
the RPC that the new RSU Board should adopt a policy to permit two student
representatives from each high school to serve on the new RSU Board.
Mrs. Rogers led a discussion of the impact and
possible follow-on actions should a reorganization referendum be defeated
either in M.S.A.D. No. 75 or in
● Reconvene
the Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 RPC
● The
RPC attempts to determine and assess the reason(s) for defeat.
● The RPC makes adjustments to
reorganization plan to address their perception(s) of the reason(s) for defeat.
● The RPC moves towards another
referendum or alternative plan as appropriate.
During the discussion the Committee noted that
ample information should be provided to the public regarding the financial
impact to each community and school system should the voters choose to not
reorganize.
Mrs. Rogers led a discussion regarding the process
for creating a new RSU Board of Directors.
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the consolidation law contains no language
or process for electing a new board, only that terms will be three years in
length.
The Committee agreed that a re-organization plan
meeting the December 1, 2007 submission and January 2008 referendum deadlines
is unlikely to occur. It is anticipated
that a reorganization referendum will occur in June 2008, creating the new RSU
as of July 1, 2009. Existing
Mrs. Rogers asked for and received the consensus of
the Committee to recommend to the RPC that:
● The election of the RSU board will
occur in conjunction with the November 2008 general election, anticipating a 1
July 2009 “start-up” of the new RSU and will be conducted in accordance with
the ordnances of the towns conducting the election.
● All towns
will stagger the initial terms of new Directors so that roughly one-third of
the RSU board is re-elected each year.
● The longer
terms will be awarded to the candidate(s) with the highest number of
votes.
● The November 2008 election of new RSU
Directors to staggered term lengths (at the outset only) are as follows:
● Bowdoin
and one 3-year term
one 2-year
term
● Bowdoinham one 3-year term
one 2-year term
● Harpswell one
3-year term
one 2-year
term
one 1-year term
● Topsham two
3-year terms
one 2-year term
two 1-year
terms
●
one 2-year term
two 1-year terms
The Governance Sub-committee adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
to rejoin the RPC meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert W. Hill
Scribe
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