CARTHAGE — Selectmen have scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. Monday, May 11, at the Town Office on filing a petition to start the withdrawal process from Regional School Unit 10 and to take $8,000 from surplus to fund it.

Selectman Steve Brown said Thursday that the board approved a petition Monday brought by Carthage native Mark Brown. The petition asks, “Do you favor a petition for withdrawal with the board of directors of RSU 10 and with the Commissioner of Education, authorizing the Withdrawal Committee to expend $8,000 and authorizing the use of $8,000 from surplus funds for this purpose?”

“Thirty-nine of the 46 signatures were from registered voters, which is plenty enough,” Brown said. “The petition is valid, so we are obligated to go ahead with it and have a referendum vote by printed ballot.”

However, it won’t be on the same day as Dixfield, Canton and Peru, because Carthage’s lawyer said it had to be within 45 days.

Previously, the former School Administrative District 21 towns of Dixfield, Canton, Peru and Carthage circulated petitions asking for a vote to form a four-member committee to work on withdrawal negotiations and to appropriate money to fund the cost of negotiations, research and analysis of withdrawal agreements.

All towns except Carthage agreed to place articles on their town meeting warrants.

Brown said polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the Town Office for Carthage voters to decide the withdrawal issue.

At Monday night’s public hearing, Brown said petitioners will present their points on why the withdrawal process should be undertaken. He believes they will also show a video from Dixfield’s public hearing on April 30 that explains the procedural effort.

Carthage has 69 students who attend RSU 10. “We’ve had more in the past,” Brown said.

Many years ago, Carthage and Dixfield started SAD 21, then Canton and Peru joined. Eventually, the district and SADs 43 in Rumford and 39 in Buckfield formed RSU 10. Other towns in RSU 10 are Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Mexico, Rumford, Byron, Roxbury and Hanover. Byron is well into the process of withdrawing from RSU 10.

tkarkos@sunmediagroup.net