By AMY CALDER
Staff Writer Tuesday, January 23, 2007

"Has anyone talked about the idiocy of the timeline?" Superintendent Eric L. Haley asked Board member Pamela Trinward, a state representative.

"The timeline is absolutely ridiculous," she said.

Baldacci's plan seeks to cut the number of school district administrations from 152 to 26 in 18 months to save $250 million over three years.

Haley and School Administrative District 47 Superintendent James C. Morse Sr. for about a year have been discussing possibly merging their two school systems. However, Baldacci's plan would regionalize according to vocational districts, which would mean, Waterville, Winslow, Oakland and Fairfield would be one region.

Waterville schools and SAD 47 plan to go ahead and study the possibility of totally merging or consolidating some resources. A committee is being set up with representatives from both school systems. Haley and Waterville's Board Chairman Lionel "Lee" A. Cabana are members, and Cabana appointed board member Sara Sylvester to the committee Monday. Officials said Judy Coombs, president of the Waterville Teacher's Association, also will be a member.

Discussion on Monday focused on the importance of school officials, legislators and others being able to speak out about the governor's plan. Haley noted that Baldacci and Susan A. Gendron, commissioner of the state Department of Education, will hold regional forums on the issue: at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lewiston Middle School; 7 p.m. Thursday, Noble High School, North Berwick; 7 p.m. Friday, Deering High School, Portland; and 7 p.m. Jan. 30, United Technologies Center, Bangor.

A public hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Feb. 5 at the Augusta Civic Center.

The Maine School Management Association sent a memo to superintendents, legislators and others Monday, urging a large audience at the four meetings before Feb. 5 and asking parents and others to ask questions and share their concerns with Baldacci and Gendron. Trinward urged that people attend the Feb. 5 meeting as well.

"I think it's very important that you get the message out," she said.

Haley and Trinward said the idea that no schools would close as part of the governor's plan is ridiculous, as school buildings needing expensive repairs probably would be closed.

The assertion that each school will have a principal also is unlikely because some schools are so small they would not warrant principals, they said.

"People need to understand when you go to a mega-school system for cost-savings, to actually receive those savings there are going to be some painful decisions made," Trinward said.

Haley said there has been no serious discussion about how the plan would enhance the quality of education.

"They care about saving a dollar," he said. "It's a money issue; it's a tax issue. I don't hear any arguments about how this is going to make teaching better."

Trinward said people should note that the governor's plan calls for not just eliminating superintendent's themselves, but superintendent's offices. Haley concurred.

"It's the 13 people that I've got employed in this building that are going to lose their jobs," he said.

Board member Steve Crate, chairman of the Waterville Democratic City Committee, said Baldacci's plan is only a proposal and must go through the legislative process.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com