WATERVILLE -- Waterville can't seem to get back in the school consolidation dance.

That was the message School Superintendent Eric L. Haley delivered to his education board Monday night.

Haley said both School Union 52 and SAD 47, potential partners last fall, each rejected Waterville's request to re-enter discussions on forming a regional school unit together.

The two neighboring school systems were both unwilling to consider a plan that would have less negative financial impact on Waterville, Haley said.

This latest development comes a few months after the state rejected Waterville's alternative proposal to reorganize as a single school unit.

Haley said the state at that time advised him to revive talks with School Union 52 and SAD 47. With the latest rejections, though, Haley said Waterville has to regroup and consider what to do next.

"So the options we talked about last time are still there," he said. "We can re-file an alternative plan as a donut hole because we have no dance partners any more."

A donut hole is a term to describe a school system that can't find another system willing to be a partner.

Board member Pamela Trinward recommended that Haley ask for an extension from the state before filing an alternative plan.

A year ago Waterville was in active talks with School Union 52 and SAD 47 to form an eight-community regional school unit.

But then Waterville learned that the arrangement would increase its education costs by about $1.3 million.

As a result, Waterville pulled out of the consolidation initiative and developed an alternative plan to reorganize alone.

Joan Phillips-Sandy of the board said she is hardly surprised that SAD 47 and Union 52 were unwilling to resume talks with Waterville under the terms requested.

"Are we surprised that these other school systems aren't willing to pay more than they have to so we don't have to pay as much?" she asked.

SAD 47 and Union 52 will hold consolidation talks Wednesday.

Haley said he could attend the meeting, but his board said doing so seemed pointless.

Colin Hickey -- 861-9205

chickey@centralmaine.com