By JOEL ELLIOTT
Staff Writer

STARKS — A bid to consolidate two school districts based in Pittsfield and Madison won in this town, but vote tallies in the other member communities came in too late Tuesday evening to be reported.

Power outages delayed the count in Starks, according to Town Clerk Martha McLauchlan.

“We were counting in the dark,” she said.

The measure passed in Starks, 37 to 21.

The thunderstorm started causing power outages at 6 p.m., and at 10:15 p.m., McLauchlan said power had still not been restored. It is not known what caused delays at the other town offices.

The consolidation bid would have brought together Maine School Administrative Districts 59 (Madison, Starks, Athens, Brighton Plantation) and 53 (Pittsfield, Burnham, Detroit).

Based in Pittsfield and Madison, respectively, districts 53 and 59 have worked on consolidation throughout the current school year. Both are located nearer to other school districts, but those partnerships never materialized during the planning process.

The state Department of Education has mandated consolidation, and state law requires a minimum of 1,200 students in regional school units (RSUs) to be formed. If school districts do not have consolidation plans confirmed prior to Jan. 30, 2009, the state will reduce their funding.

Michael Gallagher is serving as superintendent for both districts. As approved by the SAD 59 Board of Directors, Gallagher — SAD 53 superintendent since 2002 — assumed both duties last year following the resignation of SAD 59 superintendent Sandra MacArthur.

Attendance at public hearings on consolidation was tiny in both Madison on May 28 and in Pittsfield on June 2.

Joel Elliott — 861-9252
jelliott@centralmaine.com