Lina Fontes receives her ballot June 11 from election official Tara Thornton at the Litchfield Sportsmen’s Club in Litchfield. Voters rejected the RSU 4 budget three times before finally approving one last month. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal file

LITCHFIELD — Talk of separating the town of Litchfield from Regional School Unit 4 has been festering for several years, even cropping up at public school budget meetings. Now it seems that those hopes have been dashed, at least for now.

An ad hoc committee was established in September 2022 to look into the possibility. More than two years later, the committee submitted its final report and recommendations Monday to the Litchfield Board of Selectmen.

“The most significant finding of the Committee is the lack of participation by the public in the whole enterprise of education,” members wrote in their memorandum to the Select Board.

“Absent any animating event, the passing of a tipping point, or some person or persons with drive and energy to achieve a new vision for public education for Litchfield, separation to form its own school system seems unlikely.”

After voters in Litchfield, Sabattus and Wales overwhelmingly voted down a proposal Aug. 9, 2022, for a multimillion-dollar addition to Oak Hill Middle School, a survey circulated in Litchfield in November 2023 contained six questions or statements to gauge voter sentiment.

Question No. 3 stated, “I believe that Litchfield should separate from the RSU and form its own school district, even if it means a possible increase in property taxes.” Of the 270 voters who filled out the survey, 67% responded yes. There was also strong support for at least putting the matter to a vote.

So, what happened? According to the committee report, the erosion of support began at the outset.

“The very first thing that happened was that the focus of the committee’s work shifted from its main task of determining how to separate to fielding an onslaught of attention from the public concerned about why Litchfield would separate. The majority of the committee’s time was spent dealing with the “why” questions.”

There are several references to the lack of participation or commitment on behalf of residents.

“People simply do not come out to participate in the development of the annual school budget. The energy of those opposed to separation simply does not translate into a majority who turn out to actually vote in support of the schools. Without a change in this dynamic, the Committee does not see how changing the administrative structure from RSU 4 to a town-based structure can improve the outcome.”

Libby Tozier School on Academy Road in Litchfield, seen Aug. 1, 2022, is one of two schools being considered for consolidation by Regional School District 4. The other is Sabattus Primary School. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Those who took the time to participate in the process were able to identify key areas of concern the committee pointed out. The most compelling was that of special needs students. What entity owns what property was also identified as an issue that needed to be sorted out, as well as how much it was all going to cost.

“Determining what a separation would cost before the fact turns out to be a complex and speculative matter,” the report states, adding that just hiring a consultant to “put together a reliable estimate” would cost $75,000.

Ad hoc committee members volunteered a lot of time to compile background information including Title 20 requirements for separation from an RSU, a list of contacts who have experienced the process and are willing to communicate, a list of advisors and consultants, and a list of items described as “surprises” to avoid.

The committee acknowledged that RSU 4 Superintendent Katy Grondin is retiring at the end of the school year and that the district is still dealing with the condition of the two schools that were at the center of the proposal to construct an addition at Oak Hill Middle School.

The school board has been looking at the needs of both Sabattus Primary School and Libby Tozier School of Litchfield and is currently considering the closure of the Sabattus Primary School as the preferred option, the report states.