SWANVILLE - A vote here on petitioning the Department of Education for withdrawal from Regional School Unit 20 will not be held on Tuesday, according to town officials. 

Selectwoman Cindy Boguen said two statutory steps would not have been met in time to hold the referendum on Dec. 17 as planned, including a provision for a public hearing and advertisement in advance of the vote.

Boguen said the town received and verified a petition from citizens a week after the November elections. On Dec. 6, she said, she learned of the posting and advertising requirements and realized that there would not be enough time to comply with voting laws.

The Penobscot Bay Pilot received a fax on Dec. 12 from Town Clerk Helen Christianson stating that Swanville would not be holding elections on Dec. 17.

No additional information was given. Speaking on Monday, Boguen said that Dec. 17 had been a tentative date.

Swanville is one of six former SAD 34 towns that previously sought withdrawal from the district. The effort, which supporters hoped would allow the towns to effectively undo the 2009 consolidation that joined SAD 34 with neighboring SAD 56, was scuttled by a failure to meet voter turnout requirements at the final validation referendum in June.

Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Northport and Searsmont have already approved the preliminary withdrawal vote. Swanville would be the last in the original group to consider the issue.

Boguen said Selectmen will likely set dates in January for the public hearing and vote when they meet this Wednesday. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the town office.

Ethan Andrews can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com