CHELSEA — Chelsea should not face higher taxes if Wiscasset withdraws from Regional School Unit 12, according to district superintendent Greg Potter, who appeared before selectmen Wednesday.

Wiscasset voters approved leaving the RSU in a nonbinding vote Tuesday, 917-220. RSU 12 is composed of the towns of Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor and Wiscasset.

“(Potter) told us the Wiscasset straw poll was to try and get out of the district,” Chelsea Town Manager Scott Tilton said Thursday. “We asked him what it would do to Chelsea’s portion of the school tax. He said it didn’t seem right now, based on all their state revenue numbers and that kind of thing, that it will have a strong negative effect.”

Potter said there could be loss of programs to the district, however, such as Wiscasset’s strong high school technical education program.

As far as cost goes, Tilton said, “It looks very similar to what we’re paying now.”

Chelsea’s share of the school budget this year is $1,829,949.

Potter said the RSU has lost nearly $3 million in state dollars over the last three funding cycles — fiscal years 2010, 2011 and 2012. He said two-thirds of that loss has had to do with Wiscasset. He said the other towns actually have prevented what would have been a challenging situtation for Wiscasset. Wiscasset consolidated with the RSU 12 group.

“Should they pull out, the town will ‘own back’ that … loss,” Potter said Thursday. “The remaining towns seem to own about one-third of the … loss. Again, I feel that this effect could end up being a fiscal gain for remaining towns in RSU 12, because they’d keep a high percent of the state dollars currently flowing into the RSU.”

If Wiscasset pulls out, he said, that town would be faced with a serious fiscal dilemma. It would receive around $2 million less, compared to fiscal year 2009.

“The town would not have nearly the tuition revenue it once enjoyed, and it would not receive the Medicaid reimbursements

it once enjoyed, either,” he said. ” All told, my prediction is a revenue shortfall, as compared to FY 2009, in Wiscasset of over $2.5 million.”

In other business, Tilton said he has drafted a letter to Ford Motor Co. in hopes of resolving an issue with a rescue vehicle that is out of commission.

The small truck’s oil cooling system has been replaced four times. Fire Chief Shawn Ramage said the manufacturer stopped making the motor in 2007-08 because the Ford engine had so many problems.

Tilton said the town paid more than $100,000 for the vehicle in 2006, but now it cannot be used.

“We don’t seem to be getting anywhere with Ford’s customer relations, so I went ahead and drafted a letter to the president in hopes that he will do something,” he said. “If he doesn’t, I can’t speak for the board, but a legal suit would be my recommendation.”

Selectmen also gave permission to the Old Hallowell Day Committee to use Butternut Park to launch its Dec. 10 fireworks display. The riverside park is across the Kennebec River from Hallowell. Hallowell will make a $500 donation to the Fire Department, he said.

Mechele Cooper — 621-5663

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