READFIELD -- The committee planning the merger of the Fayette, Maranacook-area and Winthrop school systems decided on a change in management at a meeting Tuesday night.

Committee members decided to choose a new chairman and co-chairman, ending Kevin Cookson and Dale Glidden's year in those positions.

"Kevin and I have been doing it for a year and they felt it was time to replace us, which is fine with both Kevin and I," Glidden said Wednesday.

Both men, of Winthrop, have opposed the planning committee's recent moves to begin exploring an alternative structure for the merged district.

A recently formed task force that will explore the alternative structure, which could allow the six member towns to retain local school boards and control over elementary school budgets, is scheduled to have its first meeting tonight.

Committee members on Tuesday did not immediately choose replacements for Cookson and Glidden.

In addition to Winthrop and Fayette, the consolidated district would include the Maranacook-area towns Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne.

The committee on Tuesday also decided to retain Harvey Hayden as its facilitator through the consolidation process although there had been discussion of changing facilitators. The state Department of Education has offered facilitators to committees planning district mergers.

"Harvey's our connection with the state," Glidden said, "and where we are at this stage of the game, we need to keep that resource."