Bar Harbor superintendent asks council to put school reorganization on June warrant

School Superintendent Mike Zboray told the Bar Harbor Town Council on March 3 that a two-year Reorganization Planning Committee proposal would replace the current structure with a single Regional School Unit (RSU) board while creating Local School Advisory Councils for each school, saying the plan is aimed at addressing program gaps, unequal access and staffing and transportation challenges.

Zboray asked the council to place the reorganization question on the warrant for a vote in June. Councilors pressed him on whether state law would supersede the town’s charter provisions for the School Committee; Zboray read an opinion from the school’s attorney that, in the attorney’s view, a charter amendment would not be required if voters approve the plan.

Councilors also raised fiscal and governance concerns, including a question about the town retaining debt for a new school building without retaining ownership of the facility. Councilors asked whether the warrant vote could instead be held in November; Zboray said he would discuss that timing question with the Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC). Charles Sidman, Terry Wagner and Kevin Knopp offered public comments during the discussion; the transcript records that comments were made but does not provide their content.

The discussion focused on the governance structure the RPC proposes and on practical concerns the council said it wants resolved before placing a question to voters. The council did not take a vote on the warrant placement at this meeting; Zboray indicated he would follow up with the RPC on timing and the financial questions councilors raised.