STAMFORD, Vt. — Stamford voters on Monday gave the go-ahead to continue down the path toward a potential school district merger with Clarksburg, Mass. 

 

In a vote of 58-29-1, the special town meeting approved by paper ballot a continuing with Option 3 — a recommendation by the private consultants and the Interstate Merger Committee to create a unified district. 

 

Also on a motion by Nancy Bushika, town meeting approved putting funding for the merger research on the annual town meeting warrant should the grant funds run out.

 

Clarksburg's Select Board is expected to set a date on Wednesday for its special town meeting. Approval by both towns will allow the merger committee, made up of members from both towns, to hire a part-time consultant or administrator to guide the effort through the legal, educational and governance issues. 

 

Although the result was positive, the merger plan did receive some pushback from residents who questioned the decision to go with the third option proposed by Public Consulting Group. 

 

Option 1 would mean no merger but would still require Stamford to take actions to comply with Vermont's Act 46 — legislation forcing school districts statewide to reorganize and consolidate. The measure was the impetus for Stamford to begin talks with Clarksburg rather than northward to districts farther away in Vermont. 

 

Option 2 would leave the schools existing in their current grade K-8 configuration and share administrative services. This option was deemed as too costly, not as efficient in using building space and not providing educational benefits. 

 

Option 3, which would create an early education center at Stamford and a Grade 3-8 school at Clarksburg within a unified district was determined by PCG, the merger and school committees as the best choice.  

 

It would create larger classes so grades wouldn't have to be combined, more programming, better access to data, and early testing on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System instead of encountering it Mass high schools. 

 

"We want to improve their chances and improve their educational opportunities," said Cynthia Lamore, chairman of the Board of School Directors. 

 

But several residents thought there should have been a chance for voting on the other options. 

 

"Why can't we go with Readsboro?" asked one man. "Clarksburg is a sinking ship."

 

Ed Fletcher asked why the committee couldn't "re-present" that past option with Readsboro. 

 

"I came here expressly to vote as a parent and I would like to see the school remain as it is," said Nancy Lesage, who was concerned about how it would affect special education services. 

 

Robert Bence said his son had graduated eighth grade with a class of 13 from Stamford, and it was great. 

 

"But that's expensive and to have five pople in a class is really expensive," he said. "Can we afford a class of five people and give them a quality education?"

 

Lamore noted that the Southern Valley Unified Union School District of Readsboro and Halifax was having its own controversy in sending Readsboro's Grades 7 and 8 to Halifax because the class was so small. 

 

Rejecting Option 3 was essentially a choosing Option 1, said school officials.

 

"As far as the state's concerned we have to show action, we have to show consolidation or merging with another district," Lamore said.

 

Stamford had voted not to join that school union two years ago, preferring to explore Clarksburg or gaining "isolated" status to go it's own way. School officials said there was little hope in becoming an isolated school although a few people thought the town should "push back."

 

But one man noted there has been pushback by towns and so far the courts have sided with the Board of Education. If they didn't choose Massachusetts, the state would decide. 

 

"Vermont's not going to give us choices anymore," he said. "They're going to tell us specifically to join with Halifax. ... We're not going to have an option really."

 

Kelly Holland, a member of the merger committee, said the state has already stepped in to forcefully merge school districts when towns have failed to act. 

 

"We're not trying to scare you, we're just telling you what we are seeing," she said. 

 

Residents also brought up concerns over the condition of Clarksburg School, how the funding would work and how much control they would continue to have over the school building.

 

A small contingent continued after the vote to push for more research into becoming a town district with "isolated" status. Holland said she felt uncomfortable in doing a two-pronged approach because it would seem to undermine the town's commitment to an interstate merger in the eyes of Vermont. There was also, she noted, no money for that effort.

 

Lamore suggested they come to the School Board meeting on Tuesday to discuss creating a subcommittee to do some research.