By a 62 to 38 percent margin, North Haven voters approved an amendment that will allow a $7.5 million dollar school construction project to move forward.
Two hundred forty-two island residents cast their ballots, with 149 votes in favor of the amendment and 93 against. It was one of the largest turnouts in recent town history.
The 56-vote margin was a substantial increase over previous North Haven School referendums, after three years of close school votes. In 2004 the original school construction referendum was passed with a 13-vote margin and the first attempt to approve the new school project on the island was stalled in an unprecedented tie vote in 2003.
The approved referendum amendment allows Maine School Administrative District No. 7 to increase the total project costs for the new island school to $7.5 million, up from the original $5.6 million estimate. The increase was based on inflation in construction materials and island construction costs. The amendment also approved the use of a three-year pledge period for contributions to the new school project.
North Haven is attempting to build a new K-12 school with $1.9 million in public tax funds that were approved by the town in 2004, and $5.6 million dollars to be raised through a private fundraising campaign. Apart from funding from a state energy efficiency program for Maine schools through the Public Utilities Commission, the North Haven school facility project is unlikely to receive support from the state.
With a growing list of schools in Maine in need of school construction funds, and an increasing push toward consolidation, North Haven’s proposed facility ranked low on the state priority list. Only a small number of funded projects are approved every two years. The condition of the existing school is deteriorating, and island residents were concerned that without immediate local action to address facility and space needs, the community could begin to see a population loss. In addition, the successful 2002 accreditation approval of the small school urged significant facility improvements to improve the quality of the academic program.
Next, the school board will authorize the launch of a yearlong $5.6 million fundraising campaign. The campaign’s adopted slogan “Our Town, Our School” is in recognition of the importance schools play on islands for anchoring the year-round community.
Today the North Haven Community School is the smallest K-12 school in Maine, with 69 enrolled students. North Haven has one of three offshore island high schools left in the state.
For further information contact the NHCS Building Fund at 867-4405.