Imagine our shock. Our newspaper had been reporting since early December that Brocton Central School district residents would be facing higher taxes along with a reduction of programs and staffing at the school.
In all honesty, we were not shocked. We had reported since before the merger vote failed this unfortunate set of circumstances would be on the horizon - and we are deeply sorry it has come down to this.
It is not fair - and it should have never happened.
That being said, it is what the community decided - whether they want to admit it or not. Brocton is one of many Western New York districts that is too big for the small community it serves. You can say the same thing about Fredonia, Dunkirk, Jamestown and even the city of Buffalo, which are all in the process of downsizing as well.
But Brocton had an option. It was, without question, drastic. It was even a little scary.
Combine with Fredonia schools, receive additional state aid and become a larger district with more programs, increased staffing levels and more choices for students - on academic and extracurricular events.
Fact Box
Here are the salaries at Brocton Central School for 2009, according to seethroughny.com:
Skahill Jr, John J - $115,111
Henris, William F - $94,458
Franze, Jeffrey H - $89,927
Glowniak, Jean A - $88,347
Ortolano, Nance L - $86,047
Wiecha-Vonkorff, Johanna M - $84,574
Bates, Dawn M - $83,549
Keefe, Stephen W -$82,757
Pietrkiewicz, Caroline M - $81,058
Dickerson, Jane F -$81,023
Farnham, Mary J$79,433
Knopp, Barbara C - $79,290
Mac Intyre, Karen P - $79,250
Sedota, Gladys E - $78,978
Smith Jr, Peter F - $78,206
Petrella, Patricia J - $77,979
Cave, Jody A -$77,846
Thompson, Patricia L -$77,288
Vendel, Ellen M - $77,086
Eades, Diane H -$77,056
Stone, Michael C - $76,122
Boettcher, Susan J - $75,816
Bromsted, Bonnie J -$75,746
Seddon, Marshall - $75,356
Meyers, Laureen G -$73,484
De Land, Betty A -$69,612
Purcell, Kenneth M -$67,624
Aniszewski, Stephanie L -$61,827
Wright, Robert J -$61,806
Deakin, Andrew J -$61,666
Kowal, Kenneth J -$60,336
Young, Julie A -$58,794
Liberator, Lisa J -$55,498
Mutch, Robbin K$55,498
Anderson, Trudy S - $53,636
Crowell, Michelle M - $53,623
Lloyd-Priest, Deborah A - $53,401
Neratko, Laura L - $52,418
Hart, Sara A - $51,528
Persch, Marie L -$50,968
Pennica, Brooke- $50,777
Seevers, Karen R - $50,582
Miller, Blaise J -$49,748
Presto, Terry L - $49,317
Dellow, Wade C -$49,213
Shields, Aaron L - $49,112
Miller, Amy L -$48,902
Becker, Jolene A - $48,700
Delcamp, James D - $47,433
Kyser, Sheila M -$46,976
Miller, Arthur L - $46,584
Ressler, Ann M - $45,726
Mc Causland, Carrie H - $45,580
Waclawski, Deborah A - $44,772
Philipps, Elizabeth M - $44,491
Bates, Kristin M -$44,192
Morrison, Julia A - $44,126
Miller, Linda L -$43,765
Brash, Stephanie K -$43,292
Lee, Ann M - $43,029
Karalus, Ruth A -$42,596
Bohn, Marjorie E -$42,486
Sobczak, Jodi A - $42,192
Berman, Alexis D - $41,976
Fabiano, Marieanne L - $41,325
McFeely, Maria T - $40,967
Offenbach, Rachel L - $40,500
Tiberio, Kimberly M -$40,488
Loewer, Joan M -$40,468
Mc Causland, Jean C - $40,441
Gillis, Tonya J -$39,992
Gugino, Jessica B - $39,659
Morrison, Jill A - $38,982
Boedo, Krystle M - $38,892
McFadden, Tracey L - $38,467
Turpin, Ashley - $37,495
Gawronski, Amy L - $36,445
Chagnon, Roger G - $36,213
Janes, Linda E - $36,189
Tresler Jr, Carl O -$35,871
Vacanti, Christopher J - $35,713
Williams, Nicholas D - $35,160
Sheldon Sr, Robert C - $34,625
Dolce, Lawrence -$34,615
Woleben, Bruce A - $33,853
Marsh, Christina L - $33,745
Tanner, Kelly L - $31,470
Szczerbacki, Paul - $29,677
Kinney, Lola J - $29,120
Morgan, Dennis C - $27,853
Delcamp, Julie A - $27,337
Sam, Karen B - $27,253
Waclawski, Carole A - $25,887
Propheter, Steven J - $25,664
Pati, Peggy A - $24,714
Leone, Claudia J - $24,470
Ringer, Ronald N - $23,911
Miller, Arthur L - $23,692
Wagner, Susan J - $23,484
Murphy, Christine N - $22,363
Ackendorf, Sharon L - $22,334
Cettell, Michael T - $21,249
Burdick, Keren G -$20,854
Grover, Clarence G - $20,475
Rudnicki, Warren S - $18,660
Farnham, Paul T - $18,383
Masiker, Laura J - $18,085
Stanton, Laurie A - $17,774
Hannold, Brenda L - $17,773
Miller, John C - $17,726
Burton, Beverly H - $17,652
Farmham, Sally J - $16,704
Swogger, Penny L - $16,585
Delcamp, Lisa A$16,358
Westin, Sharon T - $15,326
Kimborowicz, Katherine H - $14,533
Sheldon, Carol M - $14,518
Hunt, Sommer B- $13,303
Reussow, Rachel M -$12,033
Pirowski, Rose M - $11,755
Stanton, Lisa M -$11,327
Brown, Kalan M - $10,271
Merle, Verity A - $9,560
Grover, Diana L - $6,637
Kaltenbach, Jane M - $6,330
Fancher, Samantha J -$3,736
Utegg, Jeffrey - $3,400
Reardon, Courtney N - $2,840
Morrison, Jennifer L - $2,480
McMurray, Alla -$2,308
Jones-Belcher, Linda L - $1,909
Fagnan, Hilary L - $1,880
Robbins, Patty J -$1,744
Morrison, Kristin L -$1,534
Guiffreda, Anthony R - $1,320
Altwies, Terry E -$840
Felsman, Michael E - $650
Hubbell, Heather M -$600
Small, Eileen M - $553
Gates, Kimberly A - $410
Benson, Mary E -$313
Lewis, Aislinn M - $280
Szymanski, Amber N -$260
Eckman, Heather M - $240
Tarnowski, Kari L -$234
Rich, Sara M - $200
Lenda, Mary E - $200
Donovan, Thomas R -$163
De Joe, Kelly J - $144
Olenen, Mary C -$80
Eberle, Melissa A - $26
Brocton said no - and the results are tragic. School taxes are going up, staffing is going down and now it is the fault of the Brocton Board of Education, which is an unpaid position in which candidates are elected by community members.
This newspaper, many remember, advocated for the Brocton-Fredonia school merger. Our opinion was not to be controversial, but for having better educational opportunities for our children, preserving important community jobs and keeping taxes not much, but a little lower.
Key members of the "Save Our School" - or anti-merger group - knew our newspaper was pro-merger. But through it all, we published their letters of opposition and covered the anti-merger point of view when voiced in protests or at meetings.
Article Links
In the meantime, some vocal "Save Our School" members were pocketing more than $130,000 this year in pay and benefits from the Brocton district taxpayers. But when the district was looking for any possible solution to decrease the tax burden or add staff, some of those "Save Our School" district employees who campaigned for the "no" vote were nowhere to be found with their options or suggestions. One of those "no" teachers even said when asked to help, "That's not my job, that's (the school board's) job."
If those who voted "no" did not understand the serious and painful consequences, then shame on them.
Those "no" votes set in motion these circumstances. It is not the school board's fault - remember, the Brocton residents elected them and have passed every school budget this decade.
It is, instead, the will of the community. Unfortunately, some of that "no" will was led by district employees.
Those employees are the ones collecting the paychecks - and are not ready for any concessions despite serious financial difficulties and job layoffs. In the meantime, school board members are not paid for their time and work - and are unfairly receiving too much blame.
All voters should go back and ask those district employees who were key players in the "Save Our School" campaign if they are willing to go without a raise next school year or if they have any ideas to ease this unfair pain on district students and residents?
Their answer to each question will likely be consistent with their sentiments of last December: "No."
