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"You created a hornet's nest, you need to fix it'

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MEETING MELTDOWN - Lebanon Selectmen Chair Chip Harlow gets ready to pound the gavel during a contentious Board of Selectmen's meeting regarding SAD 60's school funding formula on Thursday. (You Tube video capture)

LEBANON, Maine - Lebanon's Board of Selectmen is expected to travel to a March 6 North Berwick selectmen's meeting to express a collective mea culpa for a meeting on Jan. 25 in Lebanon with Berwick's Selectmen and Town Manager who are seeking to change the funding formula that currently determines the contributions of the three towns served by MSAD 60.

During the meeting Berwick officials made the case that under the current funding, Berwick and Lebanon are getting a raw deal with respect to the way the state aid is apportioned to them, while North Berwick is enjoying considerable savings.

Berwick Town Manager Stephen G. Eldridge and Town Finance Director Maureen Finger presented figures they say showed that under a different funding formula that many school administrative districts use statewide Lebanon could see as much as a $330,000 savings and Berwick could see as much as $500,000.

Eldridge said town lawyers are already moving forward with paperwork to further explore the possibility and have drafted legislation that he said could be presented to the legislature to change the law that currently governs the MSAD 60 funding formula between North Berwick, Berwick and Lebanon.

The meeting ended on a positive note with Lebanon selectmen expressing an open mind to learn more about Berwick's proposal since it could have a huge monetary benefit for the town of Lebanon, and as represented by Berwick, force North Berwick to pay closer to its fair share.

However, Thursday's selectmen's meeting brought nothing less than a firestorm of reproach and hostility from State reps Karen Gerrish, R-Lebanon, Acton, Shapleigh; and Beth O'Connor, R-Berwick, North Berwick; Lebanon school board members and others, who were incensed that North Berwick had not been invited to the meeting.

The meeting began with Lebanon Selectmen Chair Chip Harlow reading a five-minute-long apology

"We were unprofessional and divisive," Harlow said. "I don't blame North Berwick for being angry."

O'Connor said she was horrified when she watched a video of the Jan. 25 meeting. She said Eldridge had brought the proposed legislation to her and she said no way, however, it should be noted that he told Lebanon selectmen at the Jan. 25 meeting that she was good with it and would be happy to present it to leadership in the Statehouse.

"When I saw the video from this meeting, I have to admit I drank an entire bottle of wine," she said. "I fell off my chair. I was infuriated."

O'Connor also said SAD 60 Superintendent Steven Connolly had no knowledge of Berwick's plans, adding she told Eldridge "there was no way" she could introduce such legislation, not only because it was bad for the three towns but because it is a short legislative session and only emergency legislation can be proposed.

Harlow's harshest criticism, however, was that he had not thought to apprise North Berwick of the meeting and invited them to the table as well.

Lebanon School Board member Rebecca Beal minced no words as she told Harlow he had to beg forgiveness of North Berwick.

Beal said North Berwick is preparing to leave the district, and pursuing this change to the school formula "will be fatal to the district."

"You created a hornet's nest, you need to fix it, you need to get down on your knees," she said, adding she was considering researching the process to begin a recall of Harlow from the board.

"You don't know the history of this town ... it's embarrassing," she said, later adding, "Lebanon got suckered (by Berwick)."

After the angry group left Harlow and selectmen began planning their visit to North Berwick, where they hoped to repair the damage.

On Friday a town bulletin notified residents that Harlow along with fellow selectmen Paul Nadeau and Laura Bragg would be at the March 6 North Berwick selectmen's meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Room 212, 21 Main St.

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