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Panama board accepts joint merger feasibility study, authorizes petition process and volunteer circulators
Summary
The Panama Central School District board unanimously accepted a joint feasibility study on a potential merger with Clymer and Sherman districts and authorized use of petitions and named volunteer circulators to assess community support; petitioning may begin Aug. 18, 2026.
The Panama Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously July 13 to accept a Joint School District Merger Feasibility Study conducted with the Clymer and Sherman school districts and directed the superintendent and staff to proceed with next phases of the merger process.
The motion to accept the study was made by Gregory Hudson and seconded by Robert Delahoy and recorded Ayes: Carrie Munsee, Sophie Horner, Gregory Hudson, Robert Delahoy, Gregory Bullaro, Kelly Bennett, Bessie Eggleston; Noes: None. The board then authorized the use of petitions to assess public support for reorganization, following guidance from the New York State Education Department.
Under the petition resolution, one copy of the petition will be available at the District Clerk’s office at 41 North Street, Panama, and the board authorized district residents to gather signatures at public sites and events off district property. The board also approved a master list of volunteer petition circulators (including Alison Bernik, Adam Brandi, Robert Delahoy, Ricky Eggleston, Sophie Horner, Jenn Johnson, Carrie Munsee, David Munsee, Chelsea Saxton, Michele Sperry, and Jessica Willett) and required each circulator to sign an "Affidavit of Circulator" when submitting petition sheets. The resolution specifies that petition circulation shall not begin before Aug. 18, 2026.
Board leaders said the petitions are intended as an advisory tool for the State Education Department and to gauge local support before any formal reorganization steps.
