Select Board schedules Sept. 11 forum as petitioners advance RSU withdrawal process

Select Board members reported Aug. 19 that petitioners seeking to explore withdrawal from Regional School Unit 10 have begun turning in signatures and that the town will hold a public meeting on Sept. 11 at the Buckfield High School auditorium to explain options and gather community input. Board members said petitioners are beginning the formal process and that one option under discussion is to analyze the minimal state-required services for a town-run school compared with the RSU'provided budget to estimate different cost scenarios. "We did start the petition process just to see where people are," a select board member said. The board said petition sign-ins will indicate whether to proceed with further study. The town manager confirmed the auditorium space has been approved for Sept. 11 and said the event is already on the town calendar; he will add a location to the posted event details and continue coordinating. No formal vote on withdrawal was taken at the Aug. 19 meeting; the board described the Sept. 11 session as an information meeting intended to answer resident questions and to collect additional input as petitioners return signatures.