By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO – In an e-mail on Tuesday morning, Laurie Mondville made known her intentions to step down from the Board of Directors for the School Administrative District (SAD) No. 61.

By Tuesday evening, Casco resident Donna Norton was named to fill the position for the remainder of the term.

According to Town Manager Dave Morton, he and the board members received the resignation notice from Mondville via e-mail. It was his understanding that she notified the Town of Casco and its elected officials prior to informing the school board.

Mondville’s term ran from July 2010 through June 2013 and she is one of three school board members who represent Casco.

It is permissible for a municipal board to choose someone to finish out the term on the SAD 61 school board.

The Casco Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to put Norton in the school board seat.

Chairman Mary-Vienessa Fernandes said, “The school board is in the throes of the budget process, and Casco cannot go without representation. Donna Norton would be able to immediately engage in the budget process.”

Norton served on the school board for approximately five years, spanning the timeframe when people formed consolidation committees and planned how to meet that state mandate.

Norton has acted as a liaison between the school board and selectmen.

“A good percentage of the town budget is the school budget. The years I have been on the school board I kept the selectmen updated as to how the school budget would impact the town,” Norton said during a phone interview on Wednesday.

“I just feel that during the budget process, the selectmen wanted to make sure someone is representing Casco. To put someone on the school board that was brand new wouldn’t be fair to Casco,” she said.

“Since I had worked on last year’s budget I can get up to speed quicker,” Norton said.

Mondville was not available for comment prior to press time.

According to Town Manager Morton, anyone interested in running for the SAD 61 seat can “take out election papers,” which will be available sometime in March.