Pittsfield: SAD 53 drops consolidation talks with 38, 48

Bangor Daily News, September 24, 2007

(excerpt) SAD 53 notified SADs 38 and 48 on Friday that the district will no longer be pursuing consolidation with either of them. Instead, the Pittsfield area district will concentrate on working with SAD 59, the Madison, Starks and Athens district.

The SAD 53 board chairman was quick to point out that it was not a difference in personalities that prompted the decision, but rather priorities in school philosophy and a desire to maintain a relationship with Maine Central Institute.

SAD 48 officials, however, were surprised by the move.

"Frankly, I was shocked," SAD 48 board chairman Dan Costain said Sunday. "I thought everything was going well."

Costain said SAD 48 had been meeting with SAD 53 and he felt discussions were productive. "I am disappointed because I thought we had a good thing going. In our meetings, we were very clear that we had no issues with students going to MCI."