The Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 board welcomed new members and moved forward on establishing policies June 24.

The board also approved several policies for a second read and adoption, which several said were their first. “We don't have policies right now, and that's just a weird place to be,” Chair Heather Sinclair said before the vote.    

However, AOS 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said he reached out to several other AOSs and found they are in a similar situation, without policies. 

The board adopted 16 policies, including those addressing board powers and responsibilities, public comment at meetings, ethics, and conflicts of interest. According to board members, they align with those at the town level.  

The board tabled a motion for first review of a policy on evaluating the superintendent, the board’s sole hire. Members said they wanted to set up a mechanism and policy for an evaluation process, to begin in the new fiscal year. They tabled the item to give new members more time to review it.  

In other business, the board discussed filling several AOS-level subcommittees, including on finance, governance, policy and long-range planning. Members also proposed creating a personnel subcommittee.. 

Sinclair said subcommittees are the only way to discuss some issues because scheduling meetings with 15 members is time-consuming and challenging, and the smaller districts cannot form subcommittees because the groups would make a quorum.  

The board elected Sinclair, from Edgecomb, as chair and Alaine Pinkham, from Georgetown, as vice chair.