FREEPORT – Regional School Unit 5 is seeking a few good men and women to guide it through the process that will lead to a $14.6 million renovation of Freeport High School.

The RSU 5 Board of Directors has approved forming a Freeport High School Building Advisory Committee, comprising 21 stakeholders. The committee is to conduct its first meeting and elect a chairman on Jan. 7, and meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 8-9 a.m., at Freeport High School.

The committee will include three teachers; three administrators; nine parents and/or community members; three students; one school board subcommittee member; one school board member; co-Superintendent William Michaud; and Kelly Wentworth, the RSU 5 finance director.

Michaud says the project, which will include a two-story addition, should go out to bid in late June or early July, and construction should begin next fall.

During the Nov. 19 school board meeting at Durham Community School, in a packed cafeteria, board members heard plenty of suggestions for the Freeport High construction project. Many residents of Durham, Freeport and Pownal were there to usher in a new spirit of cooperation, following the close vote in Freeport on Nov. 4 to reject withdrawal from RSU 5.

Naomi Beal of Freeport, who was chairwoman of the Building Committee for the Friends School of Portland, urged the board to construct an energy-efficient addition.

“My bold idea for the addition is that we have a net zero building,” Beal said. “I’m looking forward to seeing this project as a big unifying force, no matter how it goes.”

Beal said that the new building should feature low energy usage, optimum insulation and be air-tight.

One Freeport resident expressed a somewhat different thought regarding the concept of unity. John Egan, who favored withdrawal, said that the annual budget referendum vote in June would be a good time to show unity. Only once in the five-year history of RSU 5 has Durham or Pownal voted for an RSU 5 budget.

“We are in fact better together now, so let’s prove it,” Egan said. “Let’s prove it in June.”

RSU 5 also will be busy in the coming weeks seeking a replacement for Michaud and Mike Lafortune, the co-superintendents who took the positions for one year, following the resignation of Shannon Welsh. The school board, administrators, teachers and the public bid farewell during the Nov. 19 meeting to two board members who did not complete their terms – Peter Murray and Nelson Larkins. Murray, who was chairman of the Freeport Withdrawal Committee, announced his resignation effective the end of the year. Larkins, who was board chairman, finished third in a four-way race for two Freeport seats on the board in the Nov. 4 vote. Murray and Larkins, who sat in the audience, exchanged words of praise.

Murray pointed out that Larkins had been board chairman since the inception of RSU 5.

“He did a lot of heavy lifting,” Murray said. “He was the epitome of grace and fairness.”

A “good degree” of consideration went into his decision to resign, Murray said. But in the end, the fact that he was negotiating withdrawal with fellow board members would compromise his ability to serve longer, he said.

Larkins thanked everyone, and thanked Murray, as well.

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A CLOSER LOOK

People interested in serving on the Freeport High School Building Advisory Committee should send an email prior to Dec. 5 to William J. Michaud, interim superintendent of schools, at michaudw@rsu5.org.

Those interested in being a member of the Superintendent Search Committee should send a letter of interest by 4 p.m. on Dec. 5 to Michaud.

Regional School Unit 5 has contracted with Lyndon Peck and PDT Architects of Portland to design a $14.8 million renovation and enlargement of Freeport High School. Peck is shown at the Nov. 19 meeting of the school board, at Durham Community School.