ARUNDEL — Selectmen have agreed to look into the town’s options for withdrawal from Regional School Unit 21, in response to requests from residents.

A straw poll, taken on Election Day, gathered 421 signatures of those in favor of withdrawal from the RSU, out of 438 voters who were asked to sign. A total of 1,836 residents visited the polls to vote.

The poll was presented to the selectmen Monday by Melanie Mitchell and David Lane, two residents who said they are part of a larger group advocating for withdrawal.

“We’re not discrediting anything the RSU has done,” said Mitchell, “but when you look at the numbers and compare us to similar towns, we’re way over. I think we can do it for a lot less and provide the same education.”

Of major concern to many taxpayers, said Lane, is the RSU’s recent proposal for nearly $60 million of investment in infrastructure, which will include major renovations to Kennebunk High School and to the elementary schools as well. The first bond, of $35 million for the high school, is slated to go to voters in 2011.

“The town needs to move quickly,” said Lane. “If this resolution goes through, we will be on the hook for that debt.”

“We’re asking the board to take a position,” said Mitchell. “We can’t increase our taxes any more.”

The board declined to take a position, though they did agree to investigate the financial impact of the RSU proposal and look into the withdrawal process.

Selectman Mark Paulin said he did not believe the straw poll was conclusive, due to the relatively small sample group, and said he is personally not in favor of withdrawal. His child is now learning Spanish and has an early reading program available, he said ”“ both opportunities made available through consolidation.

“For me, getting $60 million worth of improvements for 14 percent (of the cost) doesn’t sound like that bad of a deal,” said Paulin, noting that the school district’s costs are shared among Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.

Selectman Velma Jones Hayes also voiced support for the RSU, stating that money can be saved if Arundel students attend Middle School of the Kennebunks instead of Thornton Academy Middle School.

The push to pursue withdrawal came to a head in June, when the RSU 21 school board voted to terminate the TAMS contract, at a cost of $1.2 million.

In June, Jim Rier of the Department of Education said Arundel cannot withdraw from the RSU until the unit has been operating for at least three years. The process would begin with a petition to the RSU board, signed by at least 10 percent of town voters who cast ballots in the last gubernatorial election. A town vote would then be taken, and a committee would be formed to negotiate the withdrawal, Rier said at the time.

After the plan is approved by the education commissioner, a two-thirds vote of Arundel residents in favor of the terms of the withdrawal would be needed. If the voters approve the withdrawal, Arundel would have a two-year grace period before having to join another school unit before experiencing penalties for being out of compliance with the school consolidation law, said Rier.

RSU 21 Arundel board member Jack Reetz noted that the town voted 2-1 to join the RSU and said that taxes have not been raised in town because of the school arrangement.

“The concern seems to be only with money and not with education,” he said at the selectmen’s meeting.

Others countered the town voted to join the RSU only because the alternative was to lose state funding and face financial penalties.

“The town was blackmailed,” said resident Diane Robbins.

Residents can contact the withdrawal group at savearundel@yahoo.com. Mitchell said the group has more than 12 members and plans to talk with Dayton officials, who have also expressed concerns about their own school consolidation relationship, with RSU 23.

— City Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 322 or kristenm@journaltribune.com.