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Mount Vernon residents urge equal town representation on RSU 38 strategic planning committee
Summary
Residents urged RSU 38 to give equal representation to each town on the district’s strategic planning committee, arguing proportional membership by population would dilute voices from smaller towns and risk school closures. They referenced the 2009 reorganization plan in support.
Mount Vernon residents on June 3 urged the RSU 38 board to set up the district’s upcoming strategic planning committee with equal representation from each town rather than membership proportional to population.
"Local communities should continue as the stewards of their schools during a strategic planning process that may result in existential implications for our elementary schools," Mount Vernon resident Colin Bader told the board, quoting the district’s 2009 reorganization plan. He said proportional representation by population would "dilute" the voices of smaller towns and leave Wayne and Mount Vernon more vulnerable to school closure decisions.
Debbie Bader, also of Mount Vernon, asked whether the "fundamental question of how many elementary schools the district should operate" will be included in the comprehensive strategic planning process and noted the plan-to-plan committee will interview final vendors this week. She asked the board whether that question could be answered tonight.
Board members did not provide a definitive answer during public comment, and the agenda proceeded to other items. The public remarks signaled clear local concern that the structure of the planning committee could shape outcomes affecting small-town schools; residents urged the board to prioritize local stewardship and ensure the committee’s composition reflects that priority.
The board’s packet and agenda materials referenced the strategic planning timeline and vendor interviews; the board did not take a formal vote on committee composition during the June 3 meeting. Next procedural steps identified on the record include the plan-to-plan committee’s vendor interviews and later selection of a vendor to support the comprehensive strategic plan.
