Chris Buchanan, chair of the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD Board of Trustees, began the Wednesday, Nov. 1 meeting by addressing the elephant in the room — AOS 98 Superintendent Eileen King would be stepping down to become the executive director of the Maine State Superintendents Association.

“I would like to announce,” continued Buchanan, “that this will also be my last year. I’ll finish out my term, but I won’t seek reelection.”

The room was very quiet.

“Well, you’ll have Dave,” said King, motioning to Facilities and Transportation Director Dave Benner.

The mood in the room shifted back into a comfortable buzz of laughter.

“I haven’t spoken yet,” Benner joked. “Maybe I’ll get done, too!”

Then board members let out a roar of laughter and Buchanan briefly talked about not seeking reelection.

“I’ve done this for 20 years and I think that’s enough,” said Buchanan. “I can’t see doing it with another superintendent.”

King said she was asked to consider the new position back in June, but declined. Then, she began to think about the opportunity and the fact that the position has only been opened up three times in the last 16 years.

“I’ve always thought about it and I was always intrigued by it. I’m not ready to retire, but I’m ready to do something different … I’ll be serving Maine superintendents and Maine school boards, lobbying for legislation that’s good for kids … so it will be a whole different experience for me in education. I’m kind of excited about that kind of change.”

As for the soon-to-be vacant superintendent position, King expained the AOS 98 School Committee will meet soon and possibly choose from a list of  people certified  to act as interim superintendent while a new superintende is sought.

“I had offered to stay later in discussions with the AOS 98 chair (John Bertolet),” said King. “But we felt that the end of the year was appropriate.”

Board member Richard Hallinan asked if King’s office staff were also considering leaving or if they would stay.

“Well, they’ve all threatened,” laughed King. “But they’re fine. They’re all going to stay intact.”

King will be starting her new position on Jan. 2, 2018.

Benner then reported on facilities, maintenance and transportation, and brought up the recent weather and subsequent school cancellations.

“I feel confident and stand by the decisions we’ve made not to have school,” said Benner.

According to Benner, all the bus drivers went out to drive their routes to check on road and bus stop safety. After sending the drivers out, Benner also took a drive around to double check and determined that due to some of the stops’ proximity to downed wires and trees, that, despite the bus drivers’ willingness to run their routes, he felt it was not safe enough.

“I think we all wanted school today and tomorrow,” said Benner, “But ... there were just too many bad variables.”

The next biggest concern is what the schools will do considering there are only five snow days — four, possibly five, that have already been used.

King said she has made some calls and being that it is still mid-fall, making up lost time will be much easier rather than waiting for early spring to see how many snow days will have been used.

“What about the state of emergency?” asked board member Kevin Anthony.

“That was my question,” said King. “The state of emergency allows the linemen and the workers to work longer hours — it doesn’t have anything to do with the cancellation of school.”

King and the board floated around ideas such as canceling in-service days or extending any half days past the six-hour mark that defines a full school day. However, King acknowledged she hesitates to go in those directions, because teachers need those days to focus on out-of-classroom responsibilities.

Benner also discussed the recent pest control assessment — which he said was “99.9 percent better than other schools”— fall sports and the superb work done by the grounds crew, the impending Honeywell energy audit, the upcoming end to the Honeywell contract, and the replacement of fire panels at the elementary school.

The board also voted unanimously to allow the Rotary Club to hold the annual August auction on the former location of the tennis courts and use the parking lots.

The next trustees’ meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.