Dear Editor:

I am hoping that we have not seen the last ballot referendum questions on the Boothbay Region elementary school and high school. 

During the process of putting together information for the original referendums (both of which were turned down by the voters), I believe that the various groups learned a lot and are still learning more. I am not sure that the voters had all pertinent information as it is still coming to light.  

Some of this I believe was due to the fact that it was not until late into the information gathering process that a new group was formed. The AOS98 Long Range Planning Committee has in the last month or so learned so much more about what are some of the realistic opportunities we have for education on our peninsula. (Please see one article that came out just this week regarding some of the work this committee is doing - "Talks of regional school in Edgecomb hit roadblocks").  

I have listened to the discussions that have taken place at the two meetings that this group has held so far. So many times, I wished that everyone had heard what I just heard. It was illuminating. It made me wonder when I saw the results of the election if the rest of the voters of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor had heard the same information would it have made a difference in the results? It might not have, but I do believe that their work will help frame the next referendums.

I am ever more certain that this and other committees need to continue to seek out information and that the information needs to be shared with the public as soon as possible. School referendums should come back onto the ballot in 2024. They should be as complete as possible with all relevant information -- facts, not supposition -- to help us taxpayers make an informed decision. Whatever it may look like, we need to do something different than patching.

Peggy Kotin

Boothbay