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For years, Spruce Mountain High School students have been allowed to use cellphones outside classrooms, including in the cafeteria and other common areas. That ends next month, when cellphones will be banned throughout the school day — or, as it has become known, from “bell to bell.”  

The Regional School Unit 73 board of directors adopted the ban this week with little debate, citing positive results from other districts, including nearby Mt. Blue.

There was considerable discussion, however, about when the ban should begin, with some officials suggesting it start next school year.

“It would be a nice gesture to our seniors if we put it into effect next school year,” Spruce Mountain High School Principal T.J. Plourde told the board.

Seniors have been allowed to use cellphones throughout their academic careers, he said, and a midyear change would be too abrupt.

The school’s resource officer warned that the Jan. 20 start date could cause an “uproar” among students because it is so soon, but directors disagreed.

"A lot of things in life change," Jay Director Jodi Cordes pointed out, and this will be one of them.

There may be change in Jay, too, if voters decide to switch trash and recycling contractors.

The town’s current contractor is Archie’s Inc. of Mexico, which also serves Farmington, Jay, New Sharon and other towns. But residents have complained about infrequent recycling pickup, missed trash collection and the mess created when animals tear into garbage left out too long.

After months of complaints, selectmen sought proposals from other contractors and received one from Riverside Disposal and Recycling of Chelsea, which serves Fayette, Livermore Falls and Turner.

Riverside’s contract is more costly than Archie’s, so the Select Board has asked the Budget Committee to review it. If the committee recommends the change, voters would make the decision at next year’s annual town meeting. The switch would add $54,489 to the town’s annual costs.

There is much more in this newsletter about potential changes in benefits for the Franklin County Commissioners and a wastewater upgrade in Skowhegan.

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Skowhegan Select Board tables trust fund payout, OKs wastewater upgrade: Board seeks details on how Skowhegan Woman’s Club allocates aid to local women. Read this story by Evan W. Houk

12-lot subdivision proposed for Norway: The development would feature lots ranging from half an acre to more than 5 acres. Read this story by Jon Bolduc

Second Franklin County commissioner stops accepting health insurance stipend: A resolution is circulating that would take health stipends away from all commissioners, conforming to budget cuts made by the county’s Budget Advisory Committee earlier this year. Read this story by Ben Hanstein

Spruce Mountain set to join high schools banning cellphones: The ban is set to begin in mid-January, which some people thought might be too soon and would be disruptive, but the Regional School Unit 73 board of directors decided a month would be enough time for students to adjust. Read this story by Bob Neal

Jay Select Board puts mobile home park rental moratorium on annual town meeting warrant: If the moratorium passes, any rent increase after Dec. 8 would be subject to the freeze. Read this story by Bob Neal

Jay takes first step toward changing contractor for trash pickup: Residents have complained for months that the current contractor has missed trash and recycling pickups, and many say they are willing to pay more for better service. Read this story by Bob Neal

While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may. 

The architect for the Oxford Hills Middle School project believes the new school could be ready in 2030. | Advertiser Democrat

Bethel’s airport is a boon for the region’s pilots, but the upkeep is maintained by one community. | Bethel Citizen

A SAD 9 school board director from Wilton died Monday. | Franklin Journal

Highland Plantation in western Somerset County is considering dissolving their local government. | Bangor Daily News

Uncertainty at the federal level is impacting disabled Mainers reliant on the state’s supportive housing programs. | Kennebec Journal

RSU 73 is paying attorneys $275 an hour to defend the district from a lawsuit filed by the Maine Human Rights Commission. | WGME

A Franklin County commissioner appeared before the Farmington select board to discuss a dispute over county budgetary statutes. | Franklin Journal

Voters in Skowhegan approved a lease agreement associated with the River Park project. | Morning Sentinel

Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. You can reach Monitor Local editor Judy Meyer directly via email: judy@themainemonitor.org.

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.

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