Selectmen will hold a workshop Dec. 5 to discuss a recently submitted proposal that would locate a charter school in a former public school building on Harpswell Neck Road.

The board will consider the town’s responsibilities toward the proposal, and whether or not a short-term contract could be agreed to without violating town meeting procedure in March.

The Harpswell Charter School Initiative says on its website it intends to make the former West Harpswell School its home for at least the first two years while it establishes curriculum and certification and raises funds for a permanent home.

The 17,250-square-foot West Harpswell School building sits on 7.75 acres at Route 123 and Ash Point Road. The town accepted it from School Administrative District 75 in 2011, when it closed as a public school. Since then, it has been under consideration for outright sale, renovation as senior housing, or retention by the town for municipal use.

The Harpswell Charter School Initiative has a January

2013 deadline for approval or rejection of the West Harpswell School site.

Selectman Jim Henderson suggested “it would be nice to have some data” for the Dec. 5 discussion, such as preliminary budgets and what Harpswell Charter School Initiative expects from the town.

Additional considerations are whether the founding group can secure funding, and what costs or benefits the town would derive from a charter school.

The workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 5 at the town office on Mountain Road.

jtleonard@timesrecord.com