Four School District Merger: Proposal Voted Down
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: January 19, 2012
The Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District has voted down the proposal of the possible four school district merger.
Herkimer, Ilion, and Mohawk all voted in favor.
Here are the final numbers:
Ilion:
Yes-1,221
No-755
Herkimer:
Yes-1020
No-896
Mohawk:
Yes-980
No-570
Frankfort-Schuyler:
Yes-623
No-1,123
Although the merger was voted down, there was an overwhelming turnout of voters.
In Ilion alone, there were around 1900 people. The District Clerk says in his 13 years of working there, he had never seen a turn out that large.
"This is a big deal, you're talking about merging four schools, possibly losing identity of four schools, and it's a big issue for folks both pro and con," said District Clerk, Ken Long.
Up until the last minute Thursday night, voters continued to make their way into the Ilion cafeteria ready to cast their vote.
Even though the votes kept coming in, Long says the outcome was up in the air.
"Normally, you can read the communities. There's so many people I couldn't even hazard a guess There is no definite swaying" said Long.
Ilion resident, Judy Bullis is a substitute in the district, and says a merger would have made it harder for her to get more jobs, but it was the right thing to do.
Skip Rathbun of Ilion was also in favor of the merger, but says he's not shocked that it didn't pass.
"I think it will happen anyways, but change is hard, right?" said Rathbun.
Herkimer, Ilion, and Mohawk all voted in favor.
Here are the final numbers:
Ilion:
Yes-1,221
No-755
Herkimer:
Yes-1020
No-896
Mohawk:
Yes-980
No-570
Frankfort-Schuyler:
Yes-623
No-1,123
Although the merger was voted down, there was an overwhelming turnout of voters.
In Ilion alone, there were around 1900 people. The District Clerk says in his 13 years of working there, he had never seen a turn out that large.
"This is a big deal, you're talking about merging four schools, possibly losing identity of four schools, and it's a big issue for folks both pro and con," said District Clerk, Ken Long.
Up until the last minute Thursday night, voters continued to make their way into the Ilion cafeteria ready to cast their vote.
Even though the votes kept coming in, Long says the outcome was up in the air.
"Normally, you can read the communities. There's so many people I couldn't even hazard a guess There is no definite swaying" said Long.
Ilion resident, Judy Bullis is a substitute in the district, and says a merger would have made it harder for her to get more jobs, but it was the right thing to do.
Skip Rathbun of Ilion was also in favor of the merger, but says he's not shocked that it didn't pass.
"I think it will happen anyways, but change is hard, right?" said Rathbun.
