The town of Kingfield has taken the first steps in a long process to determine whether it should secede from School Administrative District 58.

A residents’ petition has been filed with the town and an initial informational meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, June 25, to discuss the process. A public hearing also has been slated for Monday, July 6, during which more information will be presented and residents’ questions answered.

A full vote on the warrant will be held on Thursday, July 16, with the ballot wording, “Do you favor filing a petition for withdrawal with the Board of Directors of Maine School Administrative District 58 and with the Commissioner of Education, authorizing the withdrawal committee to appropriate and expend $20,000.00 from surplus and/or authorizing the municipal officers to issue notes in the name of the Town of Kingfield or otherwise pledge the credit of the Town of Kingfield in an amount not to exceed $20,000.00 for this purpose?”

The July 16 vote is considered to be only the second step in a 22-step process overseen by the Maine Department of Education, and its purpose is only to establish a requisite withdrawal committee and secure funding for legal and consultative fees associated with the withdrawal process.

With the approval of the Maine Department of Education, the process then can be put to a final vote. The entire timeline for the process is six months to one year.