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Consultant: merger of Clymer, Sherman and Panama schools is 'highly feasible'; petition and December vote planned
Summary
A consultant study presented to the Planning and Economic Development Committee concluded a three-district merger is highly feasible and projects $71.4 million over 14 years to support the transition; boards plan a petition step in July and a statutory vote in December, with staff reductions to be handled largely through attrition.
Shelly O'Boyle, representing the three school boards, told the committee the consultant firm found a merger of Clymer, Sherman and Panama would be "highly feasible" and could create programmatic and fiscal advantages for students and taxpayers.
"The merger would offer our students in those three districts greater opportunity for electives and advanced courses," O'Boyle said, adding that the analysis projects $71.4 million in transitional funding over 14 years to ease the process. She said the funding can be divided into program, staffing-transition, and levy-reduction streams.
Presenters described a multi-step process: boards will vote on resolutions in their individual meetings (a petition to the state Education Commissioner is the next formal step) and, if petition requirements are met, a statutory public vote is expected in December. O'Boyle said the petition is non-binding but required for the Commissioner to consider a merger.
Committee members asked about public reaction, staffing impacts and tax projections. Presenters said outreach has included mailers, social posts and public meetings; early surveys and recent meetings showed a mix of interest and concern. On staffing, O'Boyle said leaders expect reductions to occur primarily through retirement and attrition and that the $71.4 million package includes money to "right-size" and invest in programming. "That is correct. Through attrition," she said when asked about workforce changes.
Supporters argued the merger would expand curricular offerings and preserve long-term fiscal sustainability for small rural districts; skeptics warned of emotional community loss and asked for clear tax-rate projections. Presenters pointed the committee to the 150-page report for detailed fiscal scenarios and said boards will continue community outreach before any statutory vote.
Next steps: each board will consider a formal resolution in July to proceed with a petition to the commissioner; the statutory vote would occur in December if the process continues.
