BY COLIN HICKEY

Staff Writer

School Superintendent James C. Morse Sr. is convinced that school consolidation must move forward to preserve teaching jobs and prevent programming losses.

Morse, who heads School Administrative District 47, is hoping voters in his district (Oakland, Belgrade, Sidney and Rome) share his belief and will vote today to partner with China to form a regional school unit (RSU).

But he is not about to predict the outcome.

"I'm incredibly hopeful," he said of voter approval, "but I'm not overly confident."

Voters in dozens of other towns across the state will be making decisions on school consolidation, including those in several central Maine communities.

Farmington-based SAD 9 is looking to partner with Kingfield-centered SAD 58 and Coplin and Highland plantations, while SAD 48, which is based in Newport, has a plan to create an RSU with SAD 38.

In SAD 47, the governing elected boards in Belgrade, Sidney and Rome have given support to the RSU plan.

Oakland is the exception to that rule.

The Oakland Town Council needed at least three councilors to back the proposal to make it an endorsement.

Instead the vote was 2-1-1 with Council Chairman Ralph Farnham Jr. opposing and councilor Mark Fisher abstaining.

In all cases, though, the votes by public officials amounted to nothing more than a recommendation to townspeople who today will cast votes that either approve or reject the plan.

In SAD 47 the decision comes down to the popular vote in the four district towns. It's possible therefore that the plan could be approved despite being rejected in three communities.

At the same time, approval by SAD 47 voters does not guarantee the RSU will become a reality. The RSU plan goes nowhere if a majority of China residents mark "no" on their ballots.

Morse this fall toured his proposed RSU to meet with elected officials and various civic groups to explain the rationale behind consolidation.

He is uncertain, though, how effective his outreach efforts were in swaying voters to support the initiative.

"It's hard for community leaders and people like myself to try to get our message across clearly," he said, "because there is just so much negativity associated with it."

Morse argues that negativity is unjustified. He realizes, however, that not all voters share that opinion.

SAD 47 has a backup plan if the proposed RSU is rejected: The school district is large enough -- at least 2,500 students -- to form an RSU within its existing structure.

China, however, would have to scramble to find a new partner given that it has only about 800 students.

"(China) cannot under any circumstances stand alone and be in compliance," David Connerty-Marin of the state Department of Education said. "They would either be subject to penalties or have to move quickly to find another partner."

Connerty-Marin said new plans have to be submitted to the Department of Education by Nov. 14. A vote on that new plan would have to take place by Jan. 30.

Colin Hickey -- 861-9205

chickey@centralmaine.com