SACO — City councilors voted unanimously Monday to add language to a bill that would allow them to withdraw from Regional School Unit 23.

The current bill, LD 803, sponsored by Rep. Wayne Parry, R-District 140, would allow Dayton to withdraw from the district after voter approval. The district also includes Saco and Old Orchard Beach. Saco city councilors are asking their local representative to work with Parry on adding language to the bill that would allow Saco to withdraw as well.

“There definitely was a lot of discussion about how the RSU was a good experiment, but has not shown the kind of savings we were promised,” said Jeff Christenbury, who resigned from the city council Monday citing personal reasons.

RSU 23 Board Member Gary Curtis, representing Old Orchard Beach, said he is upset to see the council wanting to withdraw for financial reasons. The consolidation was approved by voters in 2008, and Curtis said the first year saved $400,000 across the district. He said each town is being asked to contribute more based on lower revenues from state and federal funding in the current and upcoming budgets.

“Our goal is to provide the best quality education we can,” Curtis said. “Our primary concern is the kid in the classroom.”

The Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs is expected to hold a public hearing on the bill at 9 a.m. Friday in Augusta.