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State regionalization plan won’t force Eldred into shared services, commissioner’s rep says
Summary
Board members pressed the commissioner’s representative about the Board of Regents’ regionalization initiative; he said participation is voluntary, districts keep autonomy and a commissioner town hall is scheduled Dec. 12 to clarify emergency-regulation language.
Board members asked whether the Board of Regents’ regionalization initiative would curtail the autonomy of small districts such as Eldred. Dufour, the commissioner’s representative, responded that participation is voluntary and that no district can be compelled to adopt services it does not want.
“You cannot be made to do anything you don't want to do,” Dufour said, adding that the intent is to document and share existing services where useful, not to force consolidation. He said component BOCES will gather shared-service ideas on paper so districts can see what others are doing and decide whether to participate.
A board member asked specifically about emergency regulations and whether the language could create unintended obligations; Dufour said the language had been clunky and that a Regent (Tullis) planned to amend the emergency regulations at an upcoming Board of Regents meeting. He also noted the commissioner called a special town hall for Dec. 12 to address regionalization concerns.
Board members said communication had been the main problem in prior sessions and asked that the BOCES and state clarify expectations before any submission. Dufour said he would share drafts with superintendents and make sure local boards see materials before they are finalized.
The exchange ended with the board agreeing to continue discussion and review draft reports at superintendent meetings before any materials are submitted to the state.
