Regional School Unit 5 officials, sensing an opportunity to mend fences after a difficult but ultimately unsuccessful withdrawal vote last November, have taken on a new initiative.

Co-Superintendent William Michaud and school board Chairman Nelson Larkins will join with officials from the RSU towns of Freeport, Durham and Pownal to form an advisory group that will confer with the school board in budget talks. Freeport Town Manager Peter Joseph, Town Council Chairwoman Melanie Sachs, a selectman and Budget Committee member from Durham and a selectman and Budget Committee member from Pownal will make up the advisory group.

Michaud said he will know the other names of the advisory group this week, and establish a schedule of meetings.

“This group will brainstorm with and advise the board of directors on money matters,” Michaud said. “This is communication and bridge-building. We’re working on communications.”

Jeff Wakeman, chairman of the Durham Board of Selectmen, said he favors any such plan that “will help the process along.” Wakeman said that because Durham and Pownal are residential communities, school budgets tend to impact those towns more than in Freeport, which can rely on its significant business taxes.

Michaud said that he and Mike Lafortune, the other co-superintendent, have already engaged in monthly breakfast meetings with town officials to “toss things around.” Last year, RSU 5 scheduled “meet-and-greets” with town officials and residents prior to board meetings at Durham Community School, Pownal Elementary School and Freeport High School. Attendance was sparse.

“We’ve been disappointed with attendance at board meetings in Pownal and Durham,” Michaud said. “This year, it will be better at budget time. People need to be more engaged.”

Freeport voters held sway again last summer, as a $27.4 million RSU 5 budget passed 1,264-908. Freeport voted 946-366 in favor of the budget, Durham 371-223 against and Pownal 171-95 against. The overall budget increase was approximately 5 percent.

Michaud said that administrators have come in with early figures that would call for a 9 percent spending increase.

“The administrators need to explain what they need,” he said. “The board will identify what they need for further information. I don’t think it’s shockingly high, but it’s high.”

While RSU 5 is in the early phase of its budget considerations, it also is busy on two other important fronts. The Freeport High School Building Advisory Committee is planning a $14.6 million project to renovate and enlarge a crowded, outdated Freeport High School. And a permanent superintendent must be found to replace Michaud and Lafortune, who are serving for one year only.

Michaud said that the Building Committee must figure on having 5-6 percent less than the $14.6 million approved in November 2013, because of the effect of inflation. The money was not available while Freeport and RSU 5 negotiated withdrawal.

The Building Committee met with architect Lyndon Keck of PDT architects Monday morning, Jan. 21, at Freeport High.

“Since the contract with Lyndon was signed, they have started to scale back some of the project,” Michaud said. “The architect already has done some changes in configuration.”

During its last meeting on Jan. 14, the board amended the charge of the 22-member Building Committee to include one more member, Kim LaMarre of Freeport.

“She is the former chairwoman of the committee, and her institutional memory will be valuable,” Michaud said.

Larkins said that the board is looking at other options for funding the high school renovation.

“The board also is asking the committee to reach out to our state legislators, to see if there are funding opportunities, and that they also consider looking for other funding opportunities for the school project,” Larkins said.

Michaud said that the Superintendent Search Committee has reviewed the credentials of more than two-dozen applicants. Interviews begin this week.

Consultant Ron Barker and the committee will meet in executive session on Jan. 28, and determine which candidates should be interviewed, Michaud said. The goal is to have a decision sometime in March.

“Right now, we’re on schedule,” he said.