The aftermath of Aug. 29’s town meeting referendum vote has Edgecomb school officials unsure of the next move. Edgecomb voters rejected three key school funding articles including the overall $3,312,286 Fiscal Year 21 budget, authorization to exceed the state’s essential services and program formula by $875,114, and $1,810,437 for regular instruction.

In past elections, voters had a chance to authorize lower than requested budget figures at the annual town meeting, but the COVID-19 pandemic created a situation where residents could only vote an article up or down.

“This has never happened before so we need to contact our lawyers to decide how to proceed,” Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Dr. Keith Laser said after the Monday, Aug. 31 Edgecomb School Committee meeting. The committee scheduled a workshop with its attorneys at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 to discuss how to handle the defeated education warrant articles. In total, voters rejected five of the 19 school funding warrant articles.

In other action, the committee accepted special education teacher Tanya Thibault’s resignation. She accepted a job with the Community School District in Boothbay Harbor. Laser reported Thibault will fill one of the jobs formerly held by Toby LeConte. Thibault’s replacement is Amanda Cotier who will assume the kindergarten through grade eight special education duties. The committee also hired Erin Michaud to fill a vacant one day per week physical education job. 

The committee meets next at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14.