Sun, 10/19/2014 - 11:45am

ST. GEORGE — The St. George Select Board has scheduled a public hearing on withdrawal from RSU 13 for Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7PM at the Town Office.

Required by state statute governing withdrawal, the public hearing will address the Nov. 4 withdrawal ballot question: “Do you favor the withdrawal of the Town of St. George from Regional School Unit 13 subject to the terms and conditions of the withdrawal agreement dated Aug. 20, 2014?”

The town's withdrawal and Education Committee presentation will cover the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, an improved education model, the financial effects of withdrawal on tax assessments and plans for the administrative structure of a new St. George Municipal School Unit (StGMSU).

The public is urged to attend this important public hearing Oct. 23 and to vote on Nov. 4. Absentee ballots are available through the St. George Town Office.

At its meeting on Sept. 29, the Select Board voted unanimously to recommend a “Yes” vote on withdrawal.

The board cited a number of benefits of withdrawal. Local control of the school budget and programs would create greater accountability to parents and taxpayers for the success of the educational system. It anticipated that valuable programs cut by RSU 13 would be reinstated, that the eighth grade would be restored to the St. George School and that high school choice would offer better and more varied educational opportunities for St. George’s high school students. The statement noted that all of this could be accomplished without any increase in the school assessment.

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