Donald Beattie of Winthrop, ME Keep up the good work seven boards. I hope you consolidate but figure out a fair and reasonable way to let the local elementary schools stay in tact without the fear of Winthrop (which I doubt it would ever do so) vote to close an elementary school I've visited all of these little schools over the past 15 years and some more recently. They are gems to say the least as is the Winthrop Elementary school, eh? Don Beattie in Winthrop, ME. Thanks for the article Matt.report abuse

cranky-yank of ME "Why should it be up to the town of WInthrop whether Wayne gets to have an elementary school?"

Frankly, it shouldn't. Each town should have ONE representative and ONE vote on the new board. There is no justifiable reason for any town to have more than one representative regardless of the number of students they represent. The only other way, would be to make up a board based on school district boudaries and population rather than on the basis of towns. In other words, the school district becomes its own geographical area and is dividied into however many parts (districts) is deemed necessary to have effective representation. The time has come to get past this thinking that each town has to have control. The board would have control and each board member would be elected as at-large candidate (meaning they would be voted on by all of the voters in that school district) but would have to live within the "district," ward or precinct that they would represent. That way, if the board member acted in a way that favored one town over another, the voters would have a say come next election.report abuse