Straw poll set on Robbinston school’s future

Robbinston voters are being asked by the school board to come to the town fire station on Monday, June 15, to participate in a non‑binding referendum asking if they favor closing the Robbinston Grade School and tuitioning Robbinston students to the Calais elementary and junior high schools. The school committee is looking at a potential two to three mill increase to taxpayers, depending on whether the fiscal year 2015‑2016 school budget is held to the bare minimum or increased by $45,500 to accommodate $10,000 in maintenance issues and one ed tech position necessary for staffing for the school's plan to implement block scheduling.
The committee made the decision to hold the non‑binding vote at a special meeting held on June 2 that was well attended by a mixture of school staff and residents. The June 15 polls will be open from 12:30 to 7 p.m. Chair Joe Footer hoped that the school committee could hold a meeting a few days after the straw poll in order to discuss the results and what direction to pursue with the budget. Questions about voter registration and absentee voting may be directed to Town Clerk Cathy Footer at the town office.
Before the committee could get down to a discussion about the budgets, the floodgates were opened by a question about a rumor. "Does this [potential school closure] have anything to do with LNG coming to town?" asked one resident. Cathy Footer responded, "If it does, I know nothing about it." However, she had received a similar query and had spoken with Downeast LNG representatives the previous week. A contractual agreement signed a few years ago between the town and Downeast LNG specifies that the company would build the town a new school "if the project goes through," said Footer. "It's a big 'if,'" she stressed. Selectman Chair Tom Moholland remarked, "The odds on getting LNG are probably one percent." He added that, while 10 years ago the market was good, now the market is flat and it is hard to find investors willing to invest almost $1 billion in such a facility. Footer continued, "It's probably, unfortunately, not a reality."
After additional discussion, the committee circulated three budget scenarios, the first being the $832,581 budget presented at the committee's May 19 meeting. The first budget would increase local taxes by $97,625, with AOS 77 Superintendent Kenneth Johnson estimating that this would result in a two mill increase.
The second budget of $878,100 was one submitted to the committee on May 28 per its request of the superintendent after comments made at the earlier May meeting about the need to retain one ed tech position and maintenance issues that needed to be addressed with a line item. Local taxes would be increased by $143,155, or by Johnson's estimate about a three mill increase. Johnson noted that for a property valued at $100,000 one mill equals $100. A resident responded that a $300 increase on his tax bill resulting in everyone keeping their jobs at the school was a "bargain."
The third budget, presented by Johnson with the caveat that many factors were still unknown, shows a taxpayer increase of $13,323 to close the school and tuition students out. Johnson explained that the facility would need minimal heat to be maintained, as well as some utility costs. In addition, transportation costs could be complex if students went to a number of different schools. As it is, he said, the school has only one school bus, which could present challenges even if a town vote determined an exclusive contract and all children went to just one school district, such as Calais.
With talk of potentially closing the school, resident Leah McLean said, "Where do you want to see Robbinston in 10 years? I think it would be a very sad day if we put a lock on the door." She noted that when she was a child others paid for her education, and now she's willing to do the same. "This is the heart," she said, of the school's role in the community.
Resident Sarah Strickland added, "I really believe that the conversation about the school has to be a part of a bigger conversation about Robbinston in 10 years. The school board isn't just about finance," she said. "You're about the school kids, the teachers" and so much more. "My thinking is that you're holding the town's future in your hearts and minds as much as the finances."
McLean, who has been through the process of a school closure, noted that it took time and that she didn't think it would be possible to close the school for the 2015‑2016 year.
Johnson confirmed that there is a specific process that has to be followed and that he had heard from others that it took about a year. However, he noted that his relationship with Robbinston will end as of June 30 and the new Calais superintendent, who will take over supervisory duties, might have "insights" into the process.
When asked by a resident if in "their heart of hearts they wanted the school to stay open," Chair Joe Footer and committee member James Trainor both replied that they did. Committee member Julie Murray replied that she supported looking at all options.