Select board appoints members to school withdrawal committee, flags tight state timeline

The Bridgton Select Board on July 9 voted unanimously to appoint two public members, Amy Garrick and Andrea Lavery, and nominated municipal official Deborah Kane to a newly created school-district withdrawal committee, beginning a process required by state law to study whether withdrawing from the current district is practicable.

Board members said the committee’s initial task will be a feasibility analysis and that a 90‑day statutory deadline to submit an agreement to the state commissioner frames the work. The town manager, John (town manager), told the board consultants and legal counsel will be available to help the committee meet statutory requirements.

Members warned the schedule could be constraining. "Because that step of determining whether withdrawal is practicable, this timeline ... might be more of a 100‑yard dash than a marathon," one committee member said, expressing concern about the 90‑day deliverable and the need to set realistic expectations. Board members noted the committee can request an extension from the state if necessary.

Discussion centered on the criteria the committee should use: financial comparisons, likely impacts on town tax rates, educational outcomes for students, and the future of Harrison Elementary. Several members pressed for an analysis that explicitly addresses whether options exist that would keep Harrison Elementary open and, if not, who would cover millions of dollars in deferred maintenance. Members also noted that any new district relationship could require a long‑term contract — for example, a 10‑year agreement for middle and high‑school placements — and that those commitments are material to the town’s decision.

The board recorded three formal appointment votes by voice vote, each approved unanimously (5–0). A board member moved to appoint Amy Garrick as the first public representative and a second moved the motion; a similar procedure nominated Andrea Lavery as the second public representative and Deborah Kane as the municipal official representative. The town manager said the school board chair and other district representatives are expected to meet with the committee on July 23 to appoint their member and begin organizing the committee’s work.

The board instructed staff to notify applicants and to return with schedule and logistical details. The committee will have access to consultants and counsel; members said a clear public communications plan will be important so residents understand the committee’s remit and the distinction between a feasibility study and a final withdrawal vote.