Kittery officials promised no cuts to school aid

by Shir Haberman, seacoastonline.com, July 2, 2008

KITTERY, Maine — At a meeting held in Augusta on Friday, Gov. John Baldacci assured Kittery School Department personnel that it will not lose state funding as a penalty for non-compliance with the new Maine school consolidation law, said Rep. Walter Wheeler.

"The governor said three times that Kittery wouldn't lose money," Wheeler said, recounting the happenings at the meeting.

Joining Wheeler and Baldacci were Education Commissioner Sue Gendron, Kittery Superintendent of Schools Larry Littlefield, Kittery School Committee Chairman Jeff Pelletier and Rep. Dawn Hill.

"I think it went pretty well," Pelletier said. "I think the governor got a good understanding of Kittery's plight.

"I came away with the feeling that if Kittery continues to work toward efficiencies and collaborations with other districts, we would not be penalized," the School Committee chairman said.

Wheeler set up the meeting after the School Committee received a letter from Gendron indicating that Kittery was out of compliance with the new law. After more than a year of trying to meet the requirements of the state's school consolidation law by attempting to pair up with neighboring towns, the town found itself back to square one.

"... If Kittery does not partner in a regional school unit with a minimum enrollment of at least 1,200 students, you will be subject to all of the penalties as described (in state law)," a letter from Gendron to Littlefield dated May 30 read.

Those penalties include cutting state aid to the district by as much as 50 percent, and giving less favorable consideration for approvals and funding of school construction projects, the law reads.

For Fiscal Year 2008-09, Kittery is scheduled to receive just over $1 million in state aid. That accounts for just 7 percent of the approximately $14.3 million it will take to run the system next year.

"I hope we ironed things out," Wheeler said of Friday's meeting. "I think Kittery will come out alright."