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Three of the four towns in Maine School Administrative District 58 have voted to withdraw from the district as its board of directors weighs closing or
consolidating schools, complicating an already complicated withdrawal process and forcing the district to consider ownership of its buildings and how future ownership will be determined.
This has left MSAD 58 navigating a chaotic landscape as its board weighs school closings, infrastructure upgrades, new hires and next year’s budget.
Superintendent Laura Columbia said the district’s attorney advised the board to view the situation like a divorce: Each town has contributed money, and decisions must be made about what would be fair for communities to reclaim if they complete the withdrawal process.
Further complicating the process, the three towns that have voted to withdraw — Kingfield, Phillips and Strong — are in different stages of the 22‑step withdrawal process. Strong is farthest along and, if successful, could leave the district as soon as July 1, 2027.
The paperwork involved in negotiations with withdrawing towns will likely strain the district’s business office, to the point where MSAD 58 might have to hire part‑time help.
There is good news in Skowhegan, where Comic Shop News is coming to town. The national comic‑focused weekly newspaper is now headquartered in Biddeford, but cartoonist David Witting says he is encouraged by what he sees as “shocking” momentum and investment in the community — and he wants to be part of it.
The newspaper is set to open its new headquarters at the former Kennebec Stitchery shop at 14 Madison Ave., sharing the space with Bookish, a used bookstore operated by Witting’s wife, Bjarni Brown.
There is more good news in this week's newsletter, which I hope you enjoy.
P.S. If you are enjoying this newsletter, please share it with your family members and friends. They can sign up on our website.
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Improvements set for Quarry Road Recreation Area in Waterville: Visitors this season can look forward to fully lit night Nordic skiing
and a taller alpine slope, expanded by 75 vertical feet. Read this story by Charley DiAdamo
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Meeting to seek input from public library directors has been canceled: The Maine State Library staff canceled Tuesday’s meeting as the system awaits legal guidance on proposed revised standards for the state’s public libraries. Read this story by Judith Meyer
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Skowhegan Select Board awards $100,000 in TIF grants for downtown: The money is to go toward renovating spaces and add to the substantial investment in Skowhegan since the tax increment financing mechanism was implemented in 2006. Read this story by Evan Houk
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MSAD 58 could require additional staff members to manage paperwork during withdrawal process: Ownership of school buildings in Kingfield, Phillips and Strong to be negotiated as towns ‘divorce’ themselves from Maine School Administrative District 58. Read this story by Ben Hanstein
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While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may.
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State fire investigators have arrested a Norway man in connection with one of three fires that broke out within hours of each other early Friday, though the broader investigation remains active. | News Center Maine
A special town meeting will be held in Paris on Dec. 2, after resignations left the select board short of a quorum. | Advertiser Democrat
A workforce housing group has acquired land in Carrabassett Valley to build housing units for local workers. | Rangeley Highlander
The USDA has declared all of the state’s ongoing drought a natural disaster, allowing farmers to apply for federal assistance. | Maine Public
A shopping plaza in Rumford has been sold to a New Jersey group which expects to invest in the property. | Rumford Falls Times
It’s getting harder to live in rural Maine. | The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News
The Oxford Hills school district is emphasizing teen suicide prevention after the deaths of two high school graduates in the past year. | Advertiser Democrat
The select board in Jay is consulting with an attorney to see if the town can enact a moratorium on rental increases for mobile home lots. | Livermore Falls Advertiser
The Jay board’s discussion can be seen here: | Mt. Blue TV
Rangeley is pursuing the purchase of a residence on Pleasant Street that could have an environmental issue relating to an overturned oil tank. | Rangeley Highlander
Teachers at the Academy Hill School in Wilton are participating in a state professional development program aimed at student literacy. | Franklin Journal
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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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