KENNEBUNKPORT — A public hearing on the proposal to withdraw from RSU 21 drew many a comment in Kennebunkport on Thursday. In an often contentious back-and-forth, the Kennebunkport Board of Selectmen, all of whom signed the petition to withdraw ”“ though some haven’t publicly expressed their view on withdrawal ”“ sparred with withdrawal opponents, including several members of the RSU 21 School Board.

At the center of the debate was the cost-sharing agreement between Kennebunkport and the other towns in RSU 21 ”“ Arundel and Kennebunk. Voters in June will decide whether to pass a $56.5 million bond to renovation schools in the district which, according to the School Board, will result in a monthly tax impact (per $100,000 valuation) of $5.81 in Kennebunkport, $6.10 in Arundel and $6.38 in Kennebunk. Kennebunkport will also see a 2 percent rise in property taxes from the RSU 21 operating budget if it passes in June.

Former superintendent Leo Martin and Kennebunkport resident Lou Miller both said that the Kennebunk Board of Selectmen have a history of “bullying” Kennebunkport, but said they still opposed the withdrawal.

“The past is the past, the kids come first, and I firmly believe that they will be better off if we stay with RSU 21,” Miller said.

An option that has been discussed among supporters of withdrawal was to send students from Kennebunkport to a high school in a different school district as tuition-paying students. Martin pointed out that would result in Kennebunkport losing its proportional representation at the corresponding school board, whether it be RSU 21 or otherwise.

Other residents spoke up to express their sense that the petition was being used in a power struggle between towns in the RSU and that the children of Kennebunkport would lose out as a result.

“Do not use the kids in this town as pawns in this game between Kennebunk and Kennebunkport,” Traci Gere said.

Several members of the School Board from Kennebunkport, each of who expressed frustration with the Kennebunkport Board of Selectmen, spoke out against the proposed withdrawal petition.

“The RSU has worked long and hard to make sure everyone felt welcome here ”¦ I’m voting no on withdrawal, I think it’s really crazy,” Kennebunkport resident and RSU 51 School Board Chair Maureen King said.

There were a few vocal supporters of the withdrawal process, who advocated for lower property taxes to assist people in town with fixed incomes and no children in the school system that faced a rising cost of living.

“There’s older people who have to live in the community too and they can’t afford these friggin’ taxes,” resident Chris Audley said.

Several other residents noted that withdrawal would mean that Kennebunkport would need to hire a superintendent, build additional special education facilities and likely hire a special education coordinator, as special education costs are borne entirely by the town.

Former School Board Member Robert Domine noted that costs aside, in general Kennebunkport’s property taxes were relatively low.

“I couldn’t leave here without going on record as pointing out that this community has practically the lowest taxes in the state of Maine ”¦ I call it the Cayman Islands of Maine,” Kennebunkport resident and School Board member Domine said.