Cazenovia Republican digital edition - Feb. 5, 2025
PolicE cAdEts tAkE lAst mArch
on Friday, Jan. 31, the recruits of the 216th Basic school at the New York state Police (NYsP) Academy in Cazenovia conducted a final showcase of their cadence and marching abilities in front of community members and visiting family members. the 176 recruits started at the former cazenovia college athletic complex and marched south down liberty street into the quad of the former college campus. Following the march, the recruits moved out of the campus for the final time with assistance from their family members. Graduation is scheduled for thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Albany. this will be the final class of cadets to graduate from the academy in cazenovia. the NYsP has been leasing a large portion of the campus since August 2023. its lease will expire this coming summer.
Kate Hill
Village gets monthly update on Caz College campus redevelopment
BY kAtE hill Staff Writer
During the Feb. 3 Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees meeting, Kate Brodock and Hardeep Bindra, general partners of 9 Fresh, provided a Cazenovia College campus redevelopment update.
9 Fresh is a local team of investors in the process of acquiring all the Cazenovia College-owned properties.
The group’s website, 9fresh.co, states that its vision is to “turn a once-vibrant academic institution into an equally as vibrant, reimagined district for innovation, business growth, and impact that not only strongly serves our community, but provides powerful global connections and influence . . .”
During a Jan. 13 special meeting, the village requested that 9 Fresh provide regular updates during the board of trustees’ monthly meetings.
“Everyone is interested and concerned about what is happening with the campus,” Mayor Kurt Wheeler said when introducing the 9 Fresh representatives. “. . . We thought [it] would be good for the board to be aware of what is going on but also good for the community to hear straight from [the investors].”
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Caz school district presents first of four merger study town halls
BY kAtE hill Staff Writer
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Cazenovia Central School District (CCSD) presented the first of a series of town hall meetings on its merger exploration process with the Morrisville-Eaton Central School District (ME).
The event, held at the Nelson Town Offices, was aimed at informing the public about the factors that led to the consideration of a merger, the next steps in the merger exploration process, and what a merger may look like if the communities choose to proceed.
“This really is an informational session,” CCSD Superintendent Christopher DiFulvio said at the beginning of the meeting. “The district hasn’t [decided] to merge or not merge; those decisions are left up to the community.”
ME initially approached CCSD about the possibility of a merger in October 2023. The two districts, which already share some programs, attended a joint meeting in January 2024 to discuss a potential merger.
In the spring of 2024, DiFulvio asked every bordering district if they were interested in exploring a comprehensive merger study; only ME was in favor.
In June 2024, Cornell University professor and researcher John Sipple, Ph.D., presented “School District Reorganization: Enrollment Decline and Community Vitality in Cazenovia,” to the
CCSD community. In the summer of 2024, both boards of education passed resolutions authorizing their supervisors to pursue a joint merger feasibility study to gather comprehensive data on a merger’s potential benefits and challenges. A resolution to study a merger does not guarantee that the merger will occur; the study is an exploratory phase.
The two districts recently collaborated to prepare an application for a New York State grant to help cover the cost of the study, which is estimated to be around $100,000 total.
The CCSD and ME study would be eligible to receive up to $40,000, as the state will award up to $100,000 to support merger studies, with a maximum of $20,000 per participating school district. The application deadline was Jan. 24, 2025.
mE’s situation
ME Superintendent Gregory Molloy began the presentation by describing the factors that led him to invite CCSD to consider pursuing a merger study.
Molloy, now in his ninth year as ME superintendent, graduated from the district in 1995 and is the son of a former ME superintendent.
When he became superintendent, not long after Hamilton Central School District voters rejected a proposed merger with ME, Molloy was tasked with restoring programs lost over the previous 20 years due to
declining enrollment and reduced state aid.
“We started this process of figuring out how state aid works, trying to maximize formulas, taking advantage of every way we could bring extra aid into our school district,” Molloy said. “It worked. We were able to bring back more music, and we were able to start an agriculture program — a very impactful, strong, thriving program. [We] brought in a reading program, reading specialists, [and] we had mental health providers. There’s a list of things we were able to do.”
He added that although he achieved his mission within his first two years as superintendent, the district’s financial challenges did not disappear.
“We continue to have decreasing enrollment, [and] we continue to actually become wealthier — our property wealth in our school district, I think, is driven by the couple of lakes we have in our community,” he said.
Due to those factors, the district is at a disadvantage in terms of receiving state aid.
While ME was able to sustain some of its programs using short-term COVID19 relief funds, it also investigated possibilities for addressing the anticipated budget challenges after the federal dollars stopped coming in.
According to Molloy, the district considered five options; exploring a merger was at the bottom of the list.
He recalled that when he started looking into merger opportunities, he knew he had to do his due diligence, but he hoped to rule out the option and check it off the list. However, as he learned more about how students could benefit from the financial incentives associated with merging, it became increasingly difficult to identify why it shouldn’t be explored.
“I started to look at it through the lens of, ‘It’s not about me being a member of [the Morrisville-Eaton] class of 1995; this is about the kids who are going to be Mavericks of the class of 2035,’” he said. “It’s looking forward versus looking at our past.”
In addition to his deep roots in ME, Molloy has strong ties to CCSD. His eldest child is a recent Cazenovia High School (CHS) graduate, his son is a junior at CHS, and his youngest daughter is in fourth grade at Burton Street Elementary School.
“What I am proposing will have a direct effect on my own [daughter],” he said. “I wouldn’t be proposing this if I didn’t feel so strongly [that] this is something that is going to actually benefit her. I wouldn’t propose this if it was going to have a negative, adverse effect on the community that I grew up in and the kids that I serve in Morrisville. . . . I’m [not] at a point of [thinking] this has to happen; I don’t think anybody is. We want to [continue to] learn. What are we
Kate Hill
the cazenovia central school district (ccsd) held a town hall meeting in Nelson on Jan. 28 to inform the public about its merger exploration process with the morrisville-Eaton school district. Pictured: ccsd superintendent christopher diFulvio.
missing? We want to know everything.”
According to Molloy, DiFulvio was not the first superintendent he contacted to discuss a potential merger. Initially, he spoke with neighboring superintendents in his district’s BOCES region, but they did not express interest in learning more about the concept and whether it was worth exploring.
ME identified CCSD as a suitable merger exploration partner in the summer of 2023.
At that time, a merged CCSD and ME district would have received a total of about $30 million in reorganization incentive aid over 14 years. The combined district would have received about $3 million per year for the first five years, after
which the amount would be scaled down annually. By the 15th year after reorganization, the new district’s incentive aid would be zero.
“$30 million was enough to address the challenges that both Morrisville and Cazenovia were experiencing to get through some of the fiscal stresses that we’ve been facing the last couple of years,” said Molloy. “. . . The conversation that I had with Mr. DiFulvio was [about how] we could do so much for our kids with this kind of funding; at the very least, [we could] save the programs that we’ve got for generations of kids.”
Last spring, NYS created a new reorganization incentive aid formula, nearly doubling the amount of money that a merged CCSD and
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Village
BY kAtE hill Staff Writer
Cazenovia Public Library’s (CPL) prom wear drive and giveaway has returned for the third year to help make high schoolers’ prom dreams come true.
The library is collecting dressy accessories and new and gently used dresses/ gowns, suits, suit jackets, tuxedos, ties, and shoes of all sizes for students around Madison County to shop at no cost.
Community members are invited to drop off their donations at the CPL circulation desk through the end of February.
According to CPL Youth Services Assistant Debora Millson, CPL gave away over 80 free items to students last year; this year, the goal is over 100.
The items collected will be distributed at pop-up events in March.
“The community has been so supportive, donating dresses, suits, and accessories — some even brand new with tags,” Millson said on Jan. 27. “. . . We’ll be visiting Cazenovia and DeRuyter High Schools again, and I’m also working on expanding to other schools in our area. [I] hope to have dates for those soon.”
Students can also peruse the clothing and accessories at CazCares from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, and at the library from 1 to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 28, which is a half day of school for Cazenovia.
“At the library event, we’re thrilled to have ladies from Community Resources for Independent Seniors join us with their sewing machines to help with minor alterations for students,” said Millson.
l From page 1 Village
Brodock announced that 9 Fresh is still under contract, and it completed an environmental survey and physical condition report on campus.
“We are essentially working through due diligence at this point,” she said.
According to Bindra, the environmental survey results for the campus and the equestrian center were positive. The assessment was carried out to identify potential environmental concerns or liabilities associated with the properties, such as the presence of hazardous materials.
“[That] is a very important step for us,” Bindra said.
Wheeler shared updates on the work of the village’s contractor MRB Group, an engineering, architecture, and municipal planning company.
“MRB [was] originally hired to do kind of a generalized campus reuse study, but now that we have a potential buyer and some potential uses in mind, [they] pivoted and [did] a more detailed as -
According to Millson, CPL’s prom initiative grew out of its Halloween costume closet.
For the past three years, the library has collected Halloween costumes of all sizes, from baby to adult, and then opened a costume shop. Community Resources for Independent Seniors volunteers have assisted by repairing costumes and helping kids create accessories like capes.
“[Youth Services Coordinator Jenna Wright’s] incredible work on that project inspired me to think about what teens need, and prom quickly came to mind,” Millson said. “Prom dresses can be a significant expense, often worn for just one night. To make prom more accessible and reduce financial stress for families, we decided to give it a try. We have had great success the past two years, and Jenna and I look forward to the program every year. It’s truly incredible to see the excitement on the girls’ faces as they try on dresses. Watching them smile from ear to ear is heartwarming and a reminder of how meaningful this initiative can be.”
For more information on the prom wear giveaway, call CPL at 315-655-9322 or visit cazenoviapubliclibrary.org.
the cazenovia Public library is collecting prom dresses, suits, and other formal wear to distribute to madison county students free of charge. Pictured: cPl Youth Services Assistant Debora Millson (left) and cPl Youth services coordinator Jenna Wright (right) at cazenovia high school last year.
Submitted pHoto
sessment of the buildings, looking at the conditions,” he said. “It’s like if you buy a house, you want to do a home inspection to make sure you know what you are purchasing; it’s essentially along those lines. Two weeks ago, we had an architect and a structural engineer come in and go through literally every space in every building. . . . I’d love to see that report this week. The following week, they had specialists — electrical and plumbing — come in and look at those specific components of the buildings. That will be sort of a subset of that report. . . . We’ve gotten a verbal report back, but we will be anxious to get the written report for that.”
Wheeler added that MRB’s next steps have yet to be determined. However, some of the anticipated work includes a zoning analysis and helping to coordinate another public information/input session.
“Once we have the written reports and get a chance to look at those, I’ll share that with the whole board, 9 Fresh will take a look at it, and basically, we can put our heads together and say, ‘Okay, where
are the gaps? What information would anybody who is going to come on and potentially be part of the campus [want] to have?’ I think MRB had some suggestions of what some of those components could be; we can, as a group, look at that menu of possibilities and try to use the remaining funds to our best advantage.”
According to Bindra, the closing will happen after due diligence has been completed.
“There is a two- to four-week period beyond that for closing,” he said. “. . . When we get closer to finishing up the due diligence, [we] will be able to confirm what our closing looks like. We are a few weeks away from that.”
Following the update, Wheeler provided some background information on what has been happening with the campus since the college permanently closed after its spring 2023 semester.
The New York State Police (NYSP) has been leasing a large portion of the main campus since August 2023 to serve as the site of its basic school auxiliary academy.
The academy welcomed its first class of cadets in October 2023, and it has run concurrently with the NYS Police Training Academy in Albany.
The NYSP’s current two-year lease will expire this coming summer.
The final class of cadets in Cazenovia is scheduled to graduate on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Albany. After that, the campus will be used on a smaller scale for ongoing training for existing troopers.
“You are going to see a dramatic reduction in activity around the village,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler said the NYSP was expected to extend its lease through the summer of 2027. However, the extension was denied by the NYS Comptroller due to recruiting challenges.
“Everybody, including the troopers on campus and the bondholders and the village, really assumed that the lease was going to be extended for two years,” Wheeler said. “[That] deal had been agreed to
by all the parties, and everything was proceeding on that assumption. When it went to the comptroller in NY for review, the comptroller [looked] at the actual [recruiting numbers] and said, ‘I can’t justify paying for two academies when we are having a hard time even filling one recruiting class at a time.’ . . . That put the bondholders in a little bit of a scramble, saying, ‘We were counting on those lease payments as part of the financial plan for the campus.’ When that fell through, they said, ‘Hey, we need to get really serious about finding a buyer for the campus.’ They circled back to anybody who had previously engaged them, including 9 Fresh. That’s when things kicked into high gear in the fall.”
9 Fresh’s purchase offer was accepted right around the time of the village board’s last regular meeting at the beginning of January.
“From the very beginning, the goal of everybody here is to be, number one, transparent — this is a community-wide challenge that we are all facing together — and number two, to solicit people’s ideas,” said Wheeler. “We have a lot of smart, creative people in Cazenovia, and the more people who are thinking about potential uses and potential solutions, the [better]. That’s the spirit of these monthly engagements.”
To learn more about 9 Fresh and provide feedback on the redevelopment of the Cazenovia College campus, visit 9fresh.co.
The Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees typically meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the village municipal building at 90 Albany St. Cazenovia Winter Festival is scheduled for Feb. 6-9. With support from the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce/ Caz Life and local businesses, the event will offer a packed schedule of activities and attractions for all ages. For more information, updates, and a full schedule, visit Caz Life online at cazenovia.com/winter or on social media.
margaret Jones, 90
Worked on family dairy farm
Margaret “Margie” Jones, 90, of Cazenovia, passed away Monday, Jan., 27, 2025 at Crouse Community Center in Morrisville.
She was born Oct. 4, 1934, in Delphi Falls to Glenn and Edith Waters and was a graduate of Cazenovia High School, class of 1952.
She resided most of her life in Ballina and had been employed at Dr. Turner’s dentist office in Cazenovia from 1950 to 1956. Margaret was a homemaker and worked alongside her husband on their family dairy farm, Jonesville Holsteins. She was a member of the Cazenovia Methodist Church and the Welsh Church.
Margaret is survived by her husband of 70 years, Harlan W. Jones; three children, Catherine Griffin of Kentucky, Linda Jones of Manlius and Edward (Melissa) Jones of Nelson; three grandchildren, Peggy (Robert) Downing, Ian Griffin and Madison Jones; three greatgrandsons, Brayden Kennedy, Owen and Landon Downing. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a sister, Trudy King; three brothers, Leland, Ronald and Fred Waters.
Calling hours will be held from noon to 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, with
services to follow at Michael E. Brown Funeral Services, 2333 Fenner Road in Cazenovia. Burial will be at a later date in Nelson Welsh Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Margie’s memory may be made to the Welsh Church, c/o Kathy Jones, 4335 Old State Road, Morrisville, NY 13408 or to Crouse Community Center, 101 South St., Morrisville, NY 13408.
Condolences for the Jones family may be left at michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
Years Ago in History
BY ciNdY BEll toBEY
100 Years Ago – Feb. 5, 1925
The biggest snowstorm in the lifetime of most Cazenovia’s residents arrived unannounced last week Thursday night and continued Friday. The snowfall was 2 feet 8 inches.
The total depth on the level, (including the old snow) was 3 feet 7 inches.
Normal conditions had not been resumed when a lesser storm arrived Monday.
The first mail to arrive at Cazenovia following the storm came in from Canastota over the Lehigh Valley Saturday afternoon.
The first mail to leave here after the storm was Monday night, also over the Lehigh.
The village snowplows drawn by four horses opened up narrow paths on the principal streets after much difficulty. Some of the walks were not plowed out until Saturday.
75 Years Ago – Feb. 2, 1950
Harold Webster, of Cazenovia is in Sanford, Fla., trying out for the New York Giants minor league club. Webster as a pitcher last season for the Cazenovia Merchants attracted the attention of the Giants scouts.
He also pitched three years for the Cazenovia Central School.
For two seasons he had the highest batting average for the team. He is 20 years old and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Webster.
50 Years Ago – Feb. 5, 1975
CazCares, a community effort for the relief of world hunger, has been organized by the United Methodist Church and staffed by local volunteers.
Every Friday during Lent a soup and bread lunch and dinner will be served at the church.
The Caz Cares program will not be
Wallace s roher, 103 WWii veteran
Wallace S. Roher, 103, of Oran-Delphi Rd, Manlius, passed away Jan. 27, 2025. He was born Jan. 10, 1922, on a farm in the town of Stockbridge, N.Y. The son of Lynn and Nellie (Mead) Roher, he graduated valedictorian from Stockbridge Valley High School in 1938.
In 1943, during WWII and ignoring a farm exemption, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
His training included pre-meteorology at the University of Chicago. Eventually he was sent to Kunming, China, and became a direction finding evaluator in communications.
Here, in conjunction with the Flying Tigers, he manned a DFE station with search-and-rescue operations for planes disabled in combat, as well as supply planes attempting to land.
After the war, he attended Syracuse University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. On Sept. 2, 1951, he married Norma J. Dahn in Bouckville, N.Y. He worked for two engineering companies before forming his own company, Wallgene Construction, setting granite curbing and concrete slip-form median barriers.
He designed and built his own median barrier forms for jobs in Syracuse and all over New York state and Pennsylvania. He retired in 1990.
He was a proud member of the WWII China-Burma-India group and the Cazenovia American Legion.
He is survived by Norma, his wife of 73 years; sister, Ruth Anderson; five children, Susan DeLong, Ellen Coblentz (Tom), Wayne (Dawn) Roher, Jean DiMercurio (Sal), Karen Rizzo (Paul); 13 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his four brothers, Herbert, Roy, Claude and Ben; sister, Elva Clair; granddaughter,
Jennifer DeLong; and sons-in-law, Jules Hamu and Ken DeLong. Always a hardworking man and respected by his family and friends, he was quick with some well-considered advice, a pun or even a backhoe tow to get out of a ditch. He could lend an ear for a good story and loved to share his own. He cherished his frequent family and friends’ visits. He will be greatly missed.
Calling hours were held from 1-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, at Newell-Fay Manlius Chapel, 8171 Cazenovia Road, Manlius. A service followed at 2:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be later this spring at the Stockbridge Valley Cemetery.
Contributions in his memory can be mailed to the Delphi Falls Fire Department - 2260 Oran-Delphi Rd., Delphi Falls, NY 13051 or made online to the Dephi Falls United Church – delphiunitedchurch.org For guest book, please visit scheppfamily.com.
Wallace s roher
margaret Jones
History l Page 10
A vital need
After the intense winter weather that has been felt all across the country, and the California wildfires, the American Red Cross is encouraging donors to give blood or platelets to help protect the blood supply from the ongoing impact of these events.
Donors of all blood types – particularly type O negative blood donors and those giving platelets – are needed to help save lives this month, according to the Red Cross.
As dangerous snow and ice continue to sweep across the country, and wildfires in Southern California continue to burn and impact air quality, Red Cross blood drive cancellations have grown into the hundreds, the Red Cross announced.
Collectively, this has resulted in more than 12,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations in January.
As National Blood Donor Month continues, the Red Cross is asking people to consider helping secure the supply of blood and platelets.
According to the Red Cross, approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U. S. and nearly 5,000 units of platelets and 6.500 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S. and nearly 16 million blood component s are transfused each year in the U.S.
Sickle cell disease affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year. Sickle cell patient s can require blood transfusion s throughout their lives.
The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately three units and a single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood as a frame of reference.
Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors and the blood typ e most often requested by hospitals is type O and one donation can help save more than one life.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.8 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatmen t
Each year, an estimated 6.8 million people in the U.S. donate blood and 13.6 million units of whole blood and red blood cells are collected in the U.S. in a year.
About 45% of people in the U.S. have Group O (positive or negative) blood; the proportion is higher among Hispanics (57%) and African Americans (51%).
Type O negative red cells can be given to patients of all blood types. Because only 7% of people in the U.S. are type O negative, it’s always in great demand and often in short supply.
Type AB plasma can be transfused to patients of all blood types. Since only 4% of people in the U.S. have type AB blood, this plasma is usually in short supply. Red blood cells must be used within 42 days or less and platelets must be used within just five days, the Red Cross said.
A few things to keep in mind according to the Red Cross as far as eligibility to donate is concerned include for whole blood donations this can be done every 56 days up to six times per year and donors must be in good health and 16 in most states and weigh at least 110 pounds.
For platelet donations this can be done every seven days up to 24 times per year and also requires donors be feeling well and most states require donors to be at least 17 and weigh at least 110 pounds.
All who donate up to Feb. 28, 2025, will get a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Flurr y for details.
Donors are asked to book a time to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor Ap p , visiting RedCrossBlood.or g , where places to donate can also be found, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
thE NEWs oF thE dAY
This morning, after I had fed the cats and my spouse, I turned on the TV to gather what I could about how the world was faring and whether I could safely leave the house either because of the weather or the state of the world. After the last exhausting election, I had promised myself that I would steer clear of media that raised my cortisol levels. Usually that meant watching Spectrum News, where you can get a complete weather report every 10 minutes along with the local news. I, for what reason I can’t fathom, clicked on to a cable news program There it was, the Senate hearing regarding the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to the position of the head of Health and Human Services. I was transfixed.
Now I am not in any way really knowledgeable about health care except as a consumer. In fact, am probably one of the top consumers of health care in the area. And, given that, I have developed a sense of what is good care. Simply, I want my providers to be educated in the art and science of medicine that is the most current, evidence based and compassionate.
I need those practitioners on whom I have placed my trust to be part of a robust system that shares knowledge, both locally, nationally and internationally.
Even ordinary restrictions on this are countless. The diminishing number of primary care physicians, the cost and availability of medical education, the limitations set by insurance companies and politically gener -
Ramblings from the empty nest
Ann Ferro
ated laws among many other factors interfere with the delivery of quality health care. I looked up Health and Human Services just to make sure.
Health and Human Services, formerly Health Education and Welfare, is a department in the executive branch of government that includes The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,) which is tasked with monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks at home and abroad including those related to contaminated food. It also includes the National Institutes of Health, the research arm of HHS and the Food and Drug Administration which regulates food safety, medical drugs and devices. In addition to these HHS includes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, management of insurance services to older adults and indigent individuals and families. The Administration on Children and Families (ACL) manages programs that provide assistance to older adults, people with disabilities, families and caregivers. HHS is a critical part of the health care system. It needs quality employees and a director who is knowledgeable about science, medicine and management. Now, why would this particular man be the one chosen by the new administration to be the next director of HHS?
Robert F. Kennedy has no medical, scientific or managerial background. He has established himself as an award-winning environmentalist and writer but he is also a well-known activist in the anti-vax movement, has told the world that COVID was
Support for Chapman
To the editor:
For almost 10 years I have lived in the village of Manlius, at the top of Pleasant Street. For all of those years I have witnessed vehicles recklessly entering the clearly marked wrong way, speeding down the street. It has been a conversation of frustration and anger for the residents at the top of Pleasant Street. Several times cars entering the wrong way have created a “near miss” event when backing out of our driveways or raking leaves into the road for pickup. Now as a parent of young children this has become an alarming concern for their safety too.
Our late neighbor, Marcia Sullivan started the process of bringing awareness to members of the village board to rectify this hazard. Recently, several solutions for our problem were proposed and explored. After years of waiting for a solution, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief in the reconstruction of the end of Pleasant Street. Hank Chapman proved his dedication to village residents by taking on this project. He facilitated meetings with government officials to find an acceptable solution to met the needs of the village and its concerned residents. He maintained transparency throughout the process to keep the neighbors aware of the progress and future plans.
The number of drivers entering the wrong way at the top of Pleasant Street has monumentally decreased after narrowing the end of the road and adjusting the angle of the street end. We already feel safer and happier with the improvement to the road. This change to Pleasant Street is proof of Hank Chapman’s commitment to listening and helping the residents in our village. He has my vote for mayor on March 18 and I hope you will join me in voting the same as well.
mAGGiE hickEY manliuS
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engineered to spare those of the Jewish faith, says that his addiction to heroin gave him a clearer mind after a brain infection by a parasitic worm. He is proabortion and denies that HIV causes AIDS. He says that Wi-Fi causes cancer and that school shootings are caused by taking antidepressants. I watched him deny these positions today. What is the truth that he brings to this hearing?
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was a candidate for the presidency last year. His run for the presidency was thought to appeal to the same demographic as the Republican candidate. In August of 2024, after several conversations with Trump, RFK, Jr., withdrew from the race and threw his support to Trump. Do you think there was any quid pro quo involved?
Are we that stupid? Do we bow down to the leader’s political plotting to dismantle the government by creating chaos leaving us vulnerable in matters of life and death by putting forward an individual so blatantly unqualified?
I am hoping that the Senate can overcome their allegiance to politics and think about who is best to lead the executive department most influential in the country’s health care.
A lot to take in on a Wednesday morning, when all I really wanted was the weather report and local news.
Ann Ferro is a mother, a grandmother and a retired social studies teacher. While still figuring out what she wants to be when she grows up, she lives in Marcellus with lots of books, a spouse and a large orange cat.
Scouts mark milestone
To the editor:
As we celebrate the 115th anniversary of scouting, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the profound impact that Scouting America can have on today’s youth. The recent name change to Scouting America reflects a broader, more inclusive vision that aims to reach all young people across the nation, regardless of background, to pursue growth, development, and responsible citizenship.
Since its inception in 1910, scouting has fostered values of leadership, responsibility, and community service. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, today’s youth face challenges unlike any before. With the rise of digital distractions, shifting societal values, and an uncertain job market, it can be difficult for young people to find their footing. However, organizations like Scouting America offer a beacon of hope by equipping young individuals with invaluable life skills that transcend generations. Through hands-on activities, outdoor experiences, and mentorship, Scouting America helps cultivate teamwork, discipline, and a spirit of service to others. These qualities are vital for young people to thrive in today’s ever-changing world. Whether earning merit badges or taking on leadership roles, scouts are given the tools to succeed both personally and professionally.
As our country grapples with mental health, civic disengagement, and the loss of social connection, Scouting America is a proven institution fostering resilience, community engagement, and a strong sense of purpose. With the anniversary marking over a century of service, scouting remains more relevant than ever.
Locally, the Longhouse Council has more than 114 Packs and troops across our six-county region, offering year-round programming for all youth ages 5-18. This
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OuR VOiCE
thE chiEFs: iNEvitABlE?
Early Sunday eve -
ning under the half-century-old roof of the Superdome they’ll finally get to the business of a football game between two teams for a championship once every ounce of hype and talk and spectacle is expended.
They’ll kick off, play (at least) four quarters with hundreds of millions spent on commercials, a half-hour spent at halftime building up, presenting and tearing down a top-shelf concert and, when someone has more points at the end, a whole lot of confetti flies and a silver trophy named for Vince Lombardi gets handed out.
Yet we act like there’s suspense in all this. Why? For us cynics seem to know that no matter how well the Philadelphia Eagles might play,
past
Let
the Kansas City Chiefs will take it. They are the real-life equivalent of the fictional Thanos – great and talented, yes, but also ridiculously clutch and, because of this, seemingly inevitable.
Over these last seven years (but especially the last three), it’s what kept happening. Cincinnati in an AFC Championship game, San Francisco twice in a Super Bowl and Philly once in the Roman Numeral spectacle, Buffalo four agonizing times in five seasons – all of them challenged, all of them got really close, all of them watched the Chiefs celebrate again.
Combine that with the hundreds of Patrick Mahomes/Travis Kelce commercials and the pop culture crossover you’ll get reminded about over and over in New Orleans and, yeah, almost everyone out-
EdWiN thEEtGE, ExEcutivE dirEctor ANd cEo Scouting america – longHouSe council
side K.C. has really grown tired of it.
Part of it is the same team winning over and over, which will always grate on some nerves. But another part is the sense, fair or not, that the Chiefs seem to get every single break imaginable, earned or otherwise.
Ask Eagles fans who, two years ago in Arizona, saw the holding penalty on James Bradberry with less than two minutes left in a 35-35 classic all but decide matters allowing the Chiefs to burn most of the clock and kick the winning field goal.
Don’t even bring up to Texans fans the flags thrown on them in the AFC semifinals, some of which seemed phantom, and definitely do not try to convince Bills fans it wasn’t a first down early in the fourth quarter, Buffalo up 22-21, poised it
Microplastics
To the editor:
Knowing that microplastics show up in brains, lungs, kidneys, hearts, and testicles, I try to avoid buying my daughter food wrapped in plastic. It’s not easy.
Scratch that: It’s impossible. The state of New York shouldn’t put the responsibility on parents to do the impossible. We need to turn off the plastic tap.
Fortunately, there is a bill being considered in our legislature that
seemed to finally conquer K.C. in a playoff game.
Maybe that sense of dread shrouds Philly, too, only it’s more of a mixed metaphor. Short-term, the interference penalty casts quite a shadow of doubt. Long-term, though, there’s an example of inevitability getting thwarted by the Eagles themselves, with a key witness on hand to tell the younger guys about it. Brandon Graham may be near the end of his career. Injured, he’s trying to come back for this game but, even if he doesn’t, he still has a permanent spot high up in Philadelphia sports lore.
For it was Graham who, late in Super Bowl LII, made arguably the biggest play in Eagles history, the strip sack of Tom Brady which finally stopped the New England Patriots and delivered a first NFL title
to the Eagles in nearly six decades.
Then with Brady and the Patriots, as now with Mahomes and the Chiefs, it seems like there is no human way to deny the ruling sovereigns their continued place on the throne, until someone somewhere disrupts the natural order as Graham did in Minneapolis.
Rest assured Graham is telling Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts and friends to not give in to the dread felt elsewhere, to not wait for destiny but to seize it and, for heaven’s sake, don’t let the outcome hinge on anyone else, whether it’s the opponent in red or any official.
So does it happen?
Philly and K.C. have both lost just one game playing at full speed since October.
Every indicator points toward a stone-cold classic where the payback-seek-
would do just that. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act is a common sense bill that would reduce single-use plastic by 50% in twelve years.
And so on a snowy Tuesday, I drove to Albany with other mothers to ask our representatives--Al Stirpe and Christopher Ryan--to support the bill. I am pleased to report that Al Stirpe is a co-sponsor. Christopher Ryan’s staff wasn’t able to tell me where he stands. Let’s hope he supports it.
ing Eagles push the Chiefs all the way and make them earn what would be the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat. Ideally what decides it is a big play made by someone, To build up an entire season to this climax and then have a turnover or a mistake or, worst of all, a flag provide the decisive measure would burn, no matter which side benefited.
Maybe Kansas City is just too great and their inevitability leads to a higher place in the NFL’s historical pantheon. Or maybe, like Tony Stark, the Eagles grab all the stones from Thanos and do their own finger snap.
Phil Blackwell is sports editor at Eagle News. He can be reached at pblackwell@ eaglenewsonline.com.
On the same day I drove to Albany, the plastic industry held a “fly in” to also lobby lawmakers. Their plan is to increase the production of plastic, despite the prevalence of microplastics in our children’s food and water and atmosphere. We need to tell our legislators to stand strong and to protect the health of New York children and to finally pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act.
sAri FordhAm manliuS
Caz girls basketball battles in defeat to VVS
BY Phil BlAckWEll
Two games for the Cazenovia girls basketball team against Vernon-Verona-Sherrill have both resulted in narrow defeats.
The Lakers’ 36-32 loss to the Red Devils last Monday night nearly matched, in terms of its margin, the 41-38 decision VVS claimed when the two sides met on Jan. 11.
A little more than two weeks later at Buckley Gym, these same sides would play strong defense against one another with neither of them able to reach double digits in any of the first three quarters.
VVS held on in the closing minutes partly because it never let any Cazenovia player score other than its main trio, Maria Vacccaro earning 13 points
BY Phil BlAckWEll
About the only downside the Cazenovia ice hockey team could take from its hard-earned victory in the Jan. 2425 Lamont Nicholson Tournament was the fact that it had to play again two days later.
Two long games against Watertown IHC and Buffalo’s Bishop Timon which required overtime and a shootout drained plenty of energy from the Lakers even before it stepped on the ice at Colgate University’s Alumni Arena
BY Phil BlAckWEll
Where once a large gap separated the Cazenovia and Chittenango boys basketball teams, by the time they tipped off against each other last Thursday night a much smaller margin existed.
But the Lakers still were able to celebrate this.
With a chance to go above .500 mark, Cazenovia instead saw it all get away in the second half of a 64-
as Claire Vaccaro had 10 points and Ella Baker nine points. By contrast, five different Red Devils players had baskets led by Riley Hodkinson’s 14 points and eight points from Payton Boris.
Back on the court Friday night to face Phoenix, the Lakers lost 59-53 to the Firebirds, a game where Cazenovia led 14-8 through one period, gave up that advantage by halftime and then spent the second half in an energetic but futile chase.
Maria Vaccaro nearly carried her team to victory amassing 26 points plus seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Claire Vaccaro added 13 points, but just five different Lakers got on the board as opposed to seven for Phoenix, who were led by Lyla Duskee’s 17 points and Danielle Sussey’s 15 points.
Chittenango only had three victories on its ledger prior to last Monday
last Monday to face Baldwinsville.
What was more, much had changed with the Bees since it tied Cazenovia 2-2 on Jan. 14 in Lysander, for it came to Hamilton riding a three-game win streak including back-to-back comefrom-behind wins over Mohawk Valley and Broome County.
And now B’ville would jump all over the Lakers, breaking through the defenses and never letting Cazenovia answer too much as the host side took a 7-3 defeat.
After an exchange of first-period
55 defeat to the Bears.
Strong at the outset, the Lakers did grab a 16-11 edge through one period, only to go cold in the second quarter and allow Chittenango to inch in front 24-23 going to the break.
Both sides lit it up in the third quarter but the Bears did a better job of it nearly doubling its point total and accounting for most of its eventual winning margin as it went up 47-39 with one period left.
night’s game against Homer, where it was effective on defense and did enough on the other end to top the Trojans 4129.
Both sides were quiet early, but the Bears took charge in the second quarter with the only real scoring burst of the night, not letting up until it had gained a 20-8 halftime lead.
Though Homer did make a secondhalf push, Chittenango answered it, Abby Scheidelman’s 12 points part of a well-balanced attack as Dominique Brown produced nine points and Persephone Rohrer earned eight points.
A wild game on Friday night saw Chittenango outlast Syracuse West 68-67 in overtime, the Bears able to overcome most of a 32-24 deficit in the third quarter and then tie it 62-62 at the end of regulation.
Syracuse West’s Elise Jackson daz -
goals, B’ville took command by scoring three times in the second period. Then it built upon that 4-2 advantage in the final period as Alessio McGrane and Rylan MacCollum led the Bees with two goals apiece.
Shamus Newcomb and Jack Casey both had a goal and assist for the Lakers. Jake Higtchew also scored as Henry Miller, Dylan Geroge, Henry Frazee and Joey DiNatale got assists.
But despite having a shot advantage Cazenovia was frustrated most of the night, as by the end of the game
Three different Chittenango players earned double-doubles through picking up 10 rebounds apiece. Jacob Cheek had 20 points, with Jacob Belle earning most of his 16 points through four 3-pointers.
Also for the Chittenango team, Seamus Gardner ended up adding 10 points as Mason Corlis earned seven points.
On Cazenovia’s side, Edmond Richardson led all scorers with 24 points, including a trio of 3-point-
zled with 48 points but got little help from her teammates. By contrast, Scheidelman, with 25 points, was aided by Ella Sylstra’s career-best 22 points along with seven points from Rohrer and six points apiece from Isabelle Damon and Savanah Haley.
Playing again on Saturday against Cortland, the Bears lost 59-45, the game ended up being close most of the way before the Bears wore down in the final period and then went on to be outscored 14-3 by the Purple Tigers.
Still, Scheidelman gained 17 points, with Rohrer earning 12 points and Sylstra getting 10 points.
Three more games awaited Chittenango this week against Tully, Homer and Solvay, while Cazenovia will take on Skaneateles, Jordan-Elbridge and Central Square.
it turned out that Bees goalie Chase Brooks record 37 saves.
More hockey was supposed to follow, as back at the Morrisville State IcePlex Cazenovia was to have its own game with Mohawk Valley, the fourth time the Lakers had played in five nights.
But another snowstorm postponed this game, and now the Lakers could get some much-needed rest before a tough final week of the regular season where it would host unbeaten Rome Free Academy and Ontario Bay.
ers. Ben Bianco gained 14 points just ahead of Bobby Livingston’s total of 13 points, but the rest of the roster combined for just two field goals.
Cazenovia traveled Tuesday to Phoenix and is back home Friday to face Jordan-Elbridge, the first of four consecutive games at Buckley Gym which closes its regular season. Chittenango was at J-E Tuesday and goes to Phoenix Thursday night.
BY Phil BlAckWEll
Every Onondaga High School League wrestling would make their way to Buckley Gym last Saturday as Cazenovia would play host to the league championship tournament.
The Lakers did so at the tail end of a stretch which included last Thursday’s head-to-head match against Phoenix which resulted in a 54-15 loss to the Firebirds.
Gryphon Foster returned to action at at 108 pounds pinning Thomas Ryan in 83 seconds. Two bouts later at 124 pounds, Carter Sgouris shut out Jordan Gullen 4-0.
Of the remaining nine bouts Phoenix won eight of them, the lone exception at 145 pounds where the Lakers’ Nate Chapman got a pin over Simon Dupper early in the second peirod.
Back on Jan. 25 Cazenovia, short-
handed without Foster in the lineup, went 1-4 in the Hornet Duals at Fayetteville-Manlius, its lone victory coming in the last match against Oswego where it beat the Buccaneers 36-18.
Only Sgouris and James Huftalen (138 pounds) won on the mat, Sgouris pinning Connor Kingsley and Huftalen doing the same to Jose Ramos as forfeits went to Logan Turner (116 pounds), Gabriel Sanchez (152 pounds), Layton Shaw (160 pounds) and Aiden Piral (285 pounds).
Prior to that Cazenovia struggled, taking a 67-6 loss to Central Square with the only points a forfeit to Sgouris and Gabriel Sanchez dropping a tense 1-0 overtime battle to Jordan Ransom at 152 pounds.
Host F-M topped the Lakers 59-15, though Sanchez pinned Ewan Shepard, Cullen Arnold (131 pounds) got a 15-0 technical fall over Athan Dauszka and
Riley Fowler, at 215 pounds, routed Sam Herber 10-1.
During a 49-23 defeat to Southern Hills, Huftalen pinned Blake Wilcox in the second period and Arnold routed Gavin Sheriff in a 17-0 technical fall, with forfeits to Sgouris and Logan Tournear at 116 pounds.
This happened as Chittenango had an impressive 4-1 run in the Wildcat Duals at West Genesee, only getting defeated by the host Wildcats 64-11 at the end of a week where West Genny had claimed the Section III Division I Dual Meet.
At the outset the Bears beat Rome Free Academy 54-24, with consecutive pins by Dan Mahle (138), Kole Smith (145) and Ian Bentz (152.)
The team had another another stretch of three in a row where Peter Schulz (215 pounds) pinned Jordan Garland in 31 seconds after a pin by
Edward Geer (170) over David Becker in 80 seconds and Chris Blair (190) pinning Devin Stalnaker.
Chittenango never let East Syracuse Minoa get on the board in a 66-0 shutout with pins from Geer, Schulz, Miles Wilson (145) over Aiden Pahon in 25 seconds and Elijah McDonald (285) over Matt Russo.
Far closer was a 48-30 victory over Whitesboro which was all forfeits except fot the heavyweight bouts where McDonald took just 12 seconds to pin Zach Zeppieri and Schulz pinned Ryan Burt in the second period.
To close the day the Bears beat General Brown 48-24 seeing Trevor McDonald, at 124, pin Chance Come in the opener to launch a run of four straight pins which included Mahle, Smith and Bentz.
All the other points came from forfeits.
BY Phil BlAckWEll
What was already evident earlier this season remained true as the calendar turned to February – the Chittenango boys volleyball team is getting pushed more.
Five straight wins had followed the CVA defeat, all of them sweeps. That changed here when Proctor claimed the opening set 25-18 and maintained its high level of play in the second 25-17.
Forced to play catch-up, Chittenango began to do so with a dominant third set 25-14 and didn’t tail off much in the fourth, taking that set 25-19.
Having already endured a fiveset defeat to Central Valley Academy on Jan. 14 (the rematch is scheduled for this Saturday), the Bears again went to five sets against Utica Proctor last Thursday night but was able to prevail with a bigtime comeback.
Then the Bears won the final-set race to 15 points, topping Proctor 15-10 as Logan Bronner ran his total to 37 assists helped on defense by Micah Schiralli earning 11 digs.
Ryan Thousand led the front line with 14 kills, adding 10 digs. Jackson Blaszkow had nine kills and six digs, Gavin Karwoski getting seven kills and Jacob Wagner six kills as he matched Thousand with 10 digs. Logan Mills earned
five kills and four blocks. In defeat, Proctor got 14 kills from Htoo Ku Moo, with Luu Htoo and Ku Moo soe each picking up seven kills and, passing to all of them, Yoe Suu earning 24 assists and Eh Tha Me See 16 assists. Meanwhile, Chittenango’s girls volleyball team could not pick off a set from Christian Brothers Academy last Thursday night in a three-set loss to the Brothers that dropped the Bears’ record to 7-6.
Wallace/Gottwald exchange vows
denise Wallace & the late James Wallace are pleased to announce the wedding of their daughter lindsey to Joseph Gottwald iv, son of Nancy and Joseph Gottwald on oct. 10, 2024. A destination wedding at castle ladyhawke in North carolina was the setting for the couple. lindsey is a graduate of the Albany college of Pharmacy & Albany medical college. she is currently employed as a physician asistant at mayo clinic in rochester, mN. Joseph is a graduate of the Albany college of Pharmacy and mayo clinic Alix school of medicine. he is employed as an anesthesiologist at mayo clinic in rochester, mN. the couple plans to honeymoon in Europe.
BY doNNA NEWmAN
provided by
m ocha is 10 years old and is technically a senior, but don’t tell her that. Behind that sugar face beats the heart of a dog half her age. s he loves adventures, treats, learning new tricks, and going for walks, but she also appreciates a soft bed, a cuddle, and a stuffed k ong. s he just completed a Barkour class! s he’s dog selective and would do best in a home without cats. s he came to the shelter when her family could no longer take care of her. t hose who know her, love her, but at first glance, she may appear aloof. d on’t fall for it! o nce she gets to know you, she’s your best friend and won’t let you out of her sight. s he came to the shelter in m ay, and seems resigned to her lot in life. But there’s hope in her heart that her “furever” family is out there. Puppies are great, but there’s something very special about earning the trust and affection of a senior dog. m ocha is in the twilight of her life, but the love she has to give is endless. i n order to adopt, you must fill out an application, pay an adoption fee, and have your pets up- to-date on their rabies vaccines. All adopted cats and dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and up-to-date on their vaccinations before they go home. t he c NY s P c A is located at 5878 East m olloy r oad, s yracuse. For more information about adoption, call 315-454-4479, email frontdesk2@cnyspca.or g , or visit cnyspca.or g
For many years, I have recommended and promoted that amateur golfers should play from “tees” that are a complement to their distance and ability. When they did this, three things usually happened. eir round was historically shorter, it was more enjoyable and their score was routinely lower. e decision I made 20 years ago to move up one set of tees, was the best decision for me because that is absolutely what happened…I had more fun playing and I shot lower scores. I “almost” felt guilty playing some of the holes because the “tees” were clearly 30 yards and sometimes 40 yards shorter than the ones I used to play. I found myself playing a combination of “tees” that better suited my ability.
e di culty comes when someone has to decide which “tees” are a complement and which ones are a liability. I have good news. It is no longer necessary to worry about a solution to this challenging issue. e United States Golf Association (USGA) has gured it out by Interviewing hundreds of golf professionals, thousands of golfers and analyzing millions of rounds of golf. Here is what they found out:
* More than 50% of all golfers play a course length that is too long for the experience they want. Sometimes this is by choice but other times there are not tee options available.
* e USGA provided golf courses and golfers with tools to select the “Best Tees”. ese included infographics, scorecard guidance and in-depth consulting.
* e results were overwhelmingly positive. e rounds increased with shorter course options and the golfers enjoyment increased when playing from the “Best Tees”.
e USGA “BEST TEE” SELECTOR GUIDE, is based on the distance golfers hit their “7” iron (carry and roll yardage). ese examples are based on a hypothetical set of colored tee markers.
* If you hit your 7 iron 90 yards or less, you should be playing from the most “forward” set of…Red Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 90-100 yards, play a combination of Red/Green.
* If you hit your 7 iron 100-110 yards, play from the Green Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 110-120 yards, play a combination of White/Green Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 120-130 yards, play from the White Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 130-140 yards, play from the Blue/White Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 140-150 yards, play from the Blue Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 150-160 yards, play from the Black/Blue Tees.
* If you hit your 7 iron 160 or more yards, play from the Black Tees.
To say that the USGA is a “trusted leader” of the game of golf, is certainly an understatement. ey exist to serve the game and its participants and although the “Best Tee” Selector Guide may seem a bit complicated to the average amateur, it is clearly understood by the Golf Professional, his sta and the Greens Superintendent. e USGA surveyed almost all PGA and LPGA professionals and concluded, the most appropriate de nition of what are the “Best Tees” to play is this…”A set of tees is a good t for a golfer’s ability when it allows them to comfortably reach the fairway on par 4s and par 5s, reach the vicinity of most greens in regulation, and allows them to hit a variety of clubs on their approach shots”.
If you need assistance setting up your course with “Best Tees” to play, contact: Dave Pierce of the USGA Green Section v-dpierce@usga.org
ext. 305.
or call
ME district would receive. Under the new system, the combined district would receive about $60 million over 14 years. It would receive about $6 million per year for the first five years, after which the amount would be scaled down annually.
“We legitimately, in my opinion, would have more money than we know what to do with,” Molloy said. “We would figure out something to do with it, but it’s a great problem to have.”
In addition to the extra operating aid, the merged district would benefit from a significant building aid enhancement.
cazenovia’s situation
According to DiFulvio, CCSD faces many of the same financial challenges as ME.
“Our wealth ratio is going up, which means our state aid is going down, and, at the same time, our tax rate has been declining, so it has been the perfect storm,” he said.
Those issues are piled on top of challenges presented by the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), a program that reduced state aid to public schools from 2010-2017 to help close the NYS budget deficit.
According to Assistant Superintendent/School Business Official Thomas Finnerty, who was present at the town hall, CCSD saw a total loss of $8,089,757 in funding from 2009-2017 due to GEA.
Finnerty stated that CCSD took some drastic measures to address the losses associated with the GEA. For example, it cut around nine positions from its facilities department that have still not been replaced.
“For a district our size, typically you see about 30 people in the facilities department; we have 19,” he said. “[The] district [also] used fund balance, which is like the district’s savings account, to make up for some of these shortages of state aid. We spent our savings account, and that ended up putting the district in what is known as ‘moderate fiscal [stress].’”
Moderate fiscal stress is a rating given by the NYS Comptroller’s Office to local governments or school districts that are experiencing financial strain but to a lesser degree than those in significant fiscal stress.
“For the next few years after this, we worked diligently to get out of that, and right now we are on solid ground,” said Finnerty. “We got a zero, which is a perfect score when it comes to fiscal distress. So, we’re in good shape right now. [However,] we’ve now been appropriating fund balance to deal with our shortages in revenue versus our increases in expenditures. I’m sure your households have seen increases in expenditures, just like we have. So, GEA is what really kind of got things going to send us down a bad path about 1516 years ago.”
DiFulvio pointed out that in past years, CCSD made it a point to have low or no tax increases. While those decisions were con-
History
siderate of local taxpayers, the lack of consistent revenue increases makes the district vulnerable to economic downturns. In other words, it lacks a buffer to absorb unexpected financial shocks.
In 2023, CCSD sought a supermajority budget vote due to its ongoing financial constraints. Voters approved the budget, which, according to DiFulvio, “helped close the [budget] gap a little bit.”
A budget requires approval by a supermajority (60 percent or more) of voters if the proposed tax levy increase exceeds the district’s tax levy limit, calculated using the NYS property tax cap formula. If the proposed tax levy increase is within the limit, a simple majority of voters (50 percent + 1) is required for budget approval.
CCSD sought another supermajority budget vote in May 2024. Voters rejected the original proposal and ultimately passed a revised budget. The approved budget was at the district’s calculated tax levy limit and included a reduction of approximately $400,000 compared to the rejected proposal.
According to DiFulvio, the failure to pass the supermajority budget last spring has added to the budget deficit the district is faced with this year.
DiFulvio’s presentation highlighted the district’s history of efficient spending and its demonstrated ability to operate effectively with limited resources. However, it also acknowledged that the budget deficit created by current inflation, salary increases, changes in state funding, and other factors is significant, and a tax levy under the district’s levy limit is insufficient to address the current financial shortfall.
The district was recently estimated to be facing a $2.35 million gap between estimated expenses and estimated revenue. According to Finnerty, that estimate does not account for appropriated fund balance or spending cuts. It does account for going out at the maximum allowable tax levy increase.
“It’s important to remember that these numbers are subject to change as more information is learned,” Finnerty said. “The tax cap calculation is not finished yet, and final numbers for state aid and expenses are not known yet either; they will become clearer over the next few months. We will likely see a different gap amount on Monday at the budget workshop as more [information] becomes available and I have time to enter them into my budget model.”
CCSD’s foundation aid from the state is projected to increase by $151,171 next year, reaching $7,709,723, a two percent rise from the current year’s $7,558,552. With the foundation aid increase, the district is still expected to experience a deficit of funds.
To address its budgetary challenges, the CCSD community must make big decisions, according to DiFulvio. He presented the following options: consistent tax increases — an estimated five years of supermajority budgets — to meet increasing costs; cuts to programs, athletics, and services; use of fund balance, which is projected to be depleted in five years if it continues to be appropriated
l From page 3
limited to the soup and bread program, Dr. Jeanette Schoonmaker, chairman said.
“Most of us eat too much. We need to know more about healthful nutrition,” she said. “We need to make our concern effective in changing national policies on food allocations that tend to use food in political decisions.
at the current rate; and merge for increased state aid.
merger exploration: potential next steps
CCSD and ME expect to hear back about their merger study grant application sometime toward the end of the school year.
“At that point, if we get the grant, either board could still say they are not interested and walk away,” said DiFulvio. “They may say, ‘We got the grant, we are going to do it,’ or they may say, ‘We didn’t get the grant, we are going to do it.’ We don’t know.”
If commissioned, the study would explore the potential impacts of merging on education, finances, the community, governance, administration, and longterm sustainability.
The analysis would take about nine months, during which focus groups would gather community, faculty, staff, parent, and student input.
The NYS Education Department (NYSED) would review the results, which would present information on academic performance, program offerings, educational facilities, cost savings, state aid, tax implications, debt service, demographics, transportation, stakeholder input, district leadership, collective bargaining, legal and regulatory compliance, enrollment projections, and strategic planning.
The school districts would consider the findings and share the information with the public through presentations in both communities.
The CCSD and ME boards of education would then individually decide to reject the merger, delay its decision, reevaluate the merger plan, conduct further analysis, modify the merger plan, or move forward with the merger process.
According to the state regulations at the time of the town hall, the school boards would have two options for moving forward. The district communities could have separate non-binding “straw votes” to see if the public supports the merger, or the boards could appoint individuals to collect petitions from the communities.
If the school communities favor the merger, NYSED would assign a date for separate binding votes.
“[There] is potential that the straw vote goes away,” said DiFulvio. “There is discussion on that. .
. . Community members have reported that it is confusing to have two votes. I don’t know what they will do.”
merger implementation: what could it look like?
DiFulvio explained that if both communities approve the merger, the districts will begin the process of merging operations, which can be a complex and multiyear undertaking.
“I’m not going to promise it would be perfect,” DiFulvio said. “It’s reasonable to expect bumps in the road. We would focus on [the] kids.”
According to the superintendent, merged school districts have used their increased funding for various purposes, including reducing expenses; using the money for
“We need to recognize that the globe is all together, and that what we do or don’t do every day affects our neighbors on the other side of all in this together, whether we want to be or not.”
25 Years Ago – Feb. 2, 2000
During the Cazenovia Winter Festival 2000 you are invited by the Cazenovia Cruisin’ Committee of
15 years to prevent exceeding the tax cap; making contracts competitive; maintaining employees; freezing, stabilizing, or lowering taxes; and creating long-term financial stability.
“I can’t promise what a new district would do, I can only tell you that these have been typical practices,” DiFulvio said.
Regarding the geographical size of the merged district, DiFulvio reported that the 113-square-mile CCSD and 79-square-mile ME would combine into a mediumsized district. In terms of student population size, he stated that if all the ME students were to arrive at Cazenovia tomorrow, CCSD would be roughly the size it was 20 years ago. At that time, CCSD’s enrollment was 1,824; today, a combined CCSD and ME enrollment is 1,967. DiFulvio and Molloy next outlined three possible centralization scenarios. In any scenario, a new board of education would be established for the merged district.
In Scenario A, the “Merge but Stay the Same” model, students living in CCSD would continue to go to Burton Street, Cazenovia Middle School, and Cazenovia High School, and students in ME would continue to attend ME Elementary School and ME Middle/ High School.
“You’ve got the Cazenovia Lakers and the Morrisville Mavericks,” said DiFulvio. “That’s the scenario that Superintendent Molloy originally proposed to the Cazenovia School District.”
DiFulvio stressed that because it is impossible to predict or dictate the actions of a future school board, he thinks it is important to be transparent about what other scenarios could play out and what they could look like.
“There are no guarantees about what the new district would decide to do,” he said. “Part of the study is gathering input. Until we have that input, it will be difficult to know exactly what the school communities would be most interested in. However, slow and steady wins the race, and we believe that [if the districts were to merge,] continuing to operate all buildings [is] the most practical approach . . .”
Molloy presented Scenario B, which he described as his favorite but the least likely to occur.
In that model, students living in CCSD would go to Burton Street, and students in ME would go to the ME Elementary School. For grades 5-7, all students would go to the current ME Middle/High School building, and for grades 8-12, everyone would attend Cazenovia High School.
“I like it because it utilizes our facility, and it has a little bit of sharing on both sides of the community,” Molloy said. “[However,] it is unrealistic to think this would actually be a real future because of the community structure of Cazenovia. All your schools are central, right in the village, and I can’t envision the Cazenovia community wanting to have their kids walk to elementary school and walk to high school but have to be bused 15 minutes away to go to middle school.”
In the more likely Scenario C, students living in CCSD
the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce to bring your “Winter Rats” for a winter version of their popular summer event.
We are looking for the dirtiest, rustiest, most full of holes, oldest, largest, most beat-up or dented vehicles that frequent our salt encrusted winter roads in Central New York. Extra judging points added for your “rat” if it has to be towed.
would continue to attend Burton Street, Cazenovia Middle School, and Cazenovia High School. Students in ME would go to the ME Elementary School building for pre-K through seventh grade and then combine with the CCSD students at Cazenovia High School for grades 8-12. The ME Middle/High School building would be closed.
The final topic of the presentation was identity integration, a key part of the merger process that would involve students, community members, and both districts.
Molloy pointed to cultural integration as one of the most challenging aspects of merging school districts, noting that it can be particularly hard for students in their final years of education who have deeply rooted expectations about their school experience, programming, and traditions.
“The ‘Merge but Stay the Same’ approach acknowledges this difficulty,” he said. “. . . Instead of immediately consolidating into a single high school on day one, an approach that could disrupt these long-standing identities, this model proposes maintaining the existing [schools] while unifying under a single administrative and district umbrella. This structure would preserve the essence of each school community while allowing for a smoother transition. Meanwhile, the ‘Let Evolution Take Its Course’ approach recognizes that, over time, operational efficiencies and economies of scale may make the transition to a single high school inevitable. Rather than forcing an immediate shift, this strategy envisions a gradual, strategic, and methodical evolution, ensuring that changes occur in a way that gives students, families, and staff time to adjust. By allowing the district to adapt naturally over time, rather than implementing abrupt changes, this approach prioritizes both stability and long-term sustainability.”
The town hall concluded with a public comment period, during which attendees were invited to ask questions and provide feedback. Additional town halls are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Fenner Town Offices, Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. in the New Woodstock Library Children’s Room, and Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Cazenovia Public Library Community Room.
A merger FAQ and other information about the merger exploration process are posted on CCSD’s “Merger-Reorganization Information” webpage. Additional FAQs and information will be added after the town halls.
CCSD Board of Education meetings are open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend. Meeting dates are listed on the district website and the school calendar. For more information, visit cazenoviacsd.com/board. To contact the entire board, email boe@caz.cnyric.org
Anyone not directly affiliated with CCSD can sign up for the ParentSquare Community Group to receive newsletters and other information. Sign up at parentsquare.com/community_signups/94dc9c19-0570-4ecdbd7a-868cb499bc46/new.
People’s choice judging will be done in all of these categories and prizes and gift certificates awarded to the winners. The winners will also be invited to participate in the Winter Festival Parade through the Historic Business District.
If you don’t have a rat of your own just come and join in the admiration of these special winter vehicles and vote for your favorites.
