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Select Board weighs central-office options as Buckfield withdrawal plan deadline nears
Summary
The Town of Buckfield Select Board discussed possible administrative locations for a new Buckfield school central office, noted a consultant found the municipal meeting room suboptimal, and flagged a November plan deadline. No formal decision was made; towns may request extensions.
The Town of Buckfield Select Board on May 5 discussed potential locations for a central administrative office as part of planning for Buckfield High School’s proposed withdrawal from RSU 10.
The board’s discussion, led by the chair, emphasized that a plan must be in place by the November election and that the committee currently shows a due date of the 20th; board members said individual towns may seek extensions. A Select Board member said the committee is “exploring what could potentially be used for an administrative location,” and listed options under consideration including the upstairs municipal meeting room, a parcel across from the elementary school with utilities, using the school for larger meetings, or the fire station for overflow.
Board members raised practical concerns about each option. A Select Board member said portables were not attractive because they lacked restrooms and water, and another member noted accessibility and limited restroom capacity upstairs at the municipal building. A consultant who toured the facility was reported to have judged it “probably not optimal,” though members said it might “work in a pinch” for short-term needs. The board discussed hiring an interim superintendent for a year or two to bridge organizational needs while a permanent solution is developed.
The discussion did not result in a formal vote. Members said the newly appointed local school board, should withdrawal be approved by voters, would ultimately select and finalize a permanent central-office location. The board also noted that each town must individually file any requested extension; one participant mentioned that “Deb Fo did the one for” a neighboring town, indicating separate filings per town.
