BY SCOTT MONROE

Staff Writer

Voters in Corinna, Hartland, Newport, Palmyra, Plymouth and St. Albans have two big decisions to make next month.

On the November election ballot will be two questions for School Administrative District 48 voters: merging with a smaller school unit and $1.28 million in school facility improvements.

SAD 48 officials are hopeful both ballot measures will pass, because if they don't, there would be serious consequences. Approval of both measures would mean good deals with the school district, said William P. Braun, superintendent of schools for SAD 48. Question 2 on the ballot will ask whether SAD 48 should form a new regional school unit with School Administrative District 38, which serves Etna and Dixmont.

This will be SAD 48's first stab at school consolidation that's mandated by state law.

Combining the two school districts makes sense, Braun said, because there are already ties between the two districts. For instance, most of the high school students in SAD 38 communities already attend SAD 48's Nokomis Regional High School in Newport.

"It's a long-standing collaborative effort between the two districts, so it makes the consolidation process a little easier," Braun said. "We also share a nurse, curriculum, purchases. The connection has been there for a long time."

Now, SAD 48 has about 2,200 students and SAD 38 has 300. Merging into a single regional school unit would put the school population at just over 2,500, Braun said, which is the state requirement for school unit size.

Although the intent of the state law is to reduce administrative costs in rising school budgets, the consolidation of SAD 48 and 38 won't change finances much, Braun said.

For example, the new district would save about $130,000, because SAD 38 would no longer need to share a superintendent and central office services with SAD 23, which serves Carmel and Levant. But the SAD 38 staff of 30 would have to be paid higher salaries, costing an estimated $113,000. That leaves $17,000 in savings the first year.

"We're so closely tied already I don't see any huge savings; I don't see people saving millions off their taxes," Braun said. On the other hand, if voters reject the merger and another proposal doesn't work out, SAD 48 faces a fine of $341,934, Braun said. SAD 38's penalty would be $61,600.

Under the proposal, the merger would take effect by July 1, 2009, which is the state-mandated deadline. An operating board would be formed, consisting of at least two members from each community, Braun said. The total district board would have 19 members, who would then need to set a new budget and decide whether to keep Braun on board as the superintendent. Administrative offices would remain in Newport.

Also on the ballot for SAD 48 voters is a bond request for $1,285,000 for four different school projects.

Two projects call for indoor air quality and heating upgrades and life safety sprinklers for both Corinna Elementary School and Hartland Consolidated School. School officials also want to replace two old boilers and 55-year-old pipes at Hartland. The boilers recently failed an inspection, Braun said.

The money would also be used to replace floor tile at Newport Elementary School, which contains asbestos.

Finally, a new handicapped-accessible elevator would be installed at Nokomis High School in Newport.

Voters shouldn't pass up these projects, Braun said, because they won't end up costing voters a dime.

The state government is paying for 70 percent of the revolving loan and the remaining $385,000 would be paid back over five years with no interest. Replacing the steam-heating systems at Corinna and Hartland should also yield energy savings to offset the balance of the loan, Braun said.

"It's a real good deal," he said.

Installing the elevator at Nokomis is a safety issue as well, said Licia Goodridge, facilities and systems administrator.

"A huge concern to anyone on the second floor is if ever there was an emergency to evacuate the second floor of the building, we're limited to one stairwell if the chairlift is in use," Goodridge said.

Scott Monroe -- 487-3288, 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com