School boards from the Marion Central School District and Williamson Central School District unanimously approved moving forward with a feasibility study to explore potential district reorganization at a joint public meeting held on March 18.
During the special meeting, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES Superintendent Lynn Rudnick presented an overview of the reorganization process, emphasizing the differences between centralization, a collaborative merging of two districts, and annexation, where one district absorbs another. Rudnick outlined benefits such as increased resources, expanded student opportunities, improved facilities, and additional state funding as reasons to consider reorganization.
“If you vote to go into a feasibility study, you can request that all options be considered,” Rudnick told board members, addressing Williamson board member concerns that annexation had not been sufficiently discussed. The feasibility study will evaluate potential benefits, financial implications, enrollment trends, and impacts on staffing and facilities.
Richard Walker, the Marion district’s business adminstrator, detailed potential financial incentives available through centralization, including approximately $70 million in additional state aid over 14 years and an increased state building aid ratio of up to 95 percent. He also highlighted the districts’ current financial concerns, noting a two-to-one deficit ratio between rising payroll and healthcare expenses versus limited new revenue streams.
Several community members voiced concerns during a public comment session following the presentations. George Baker, representing residents from both districts, criticized what he called inadequate communication about the meeting, advocating instead for budget tightening rather than reorganization. “Cut the fat first,” he said.
Marion Town Supervisor Summer Johnson expressed concern that a merger could significantly harm Marion’s community spirit. “I believe that a merger at this level could put the final nail in the coffin of Marion and our community,” Johnson stated, suggesting hiring a financial consultant instead to address budget issues.
Craig Fenn from Marion also urged caution, asking school officials to explore reasons behind declining enrollment and why families are choosing homeschooling. He argued that districts should clearly outline negatives, not just positives, of a potential merger. “We hear all the positives, but there are going to be negatives. I think everyone deserves to hear them,” he said.
Other speakers, however, supported at least conducting the feasibility study. “If we have grant money covering most of this, why wouldn’t we see what we could do for our kids?” said Sarah Lynn Johnson, whose child attends Marion’s pre-K program.
Many attendees emphasized a desire for greater transparency and deeper community engagement throughout the process. The need for clearly defined goals and community involvement was consistently reiterated during public feedback.
Both school boards underscored that authorizing the feasibility study does not commit either district to a merger but rather allows a thorough examination of the potential benefits and drawbacks.
Marion School Board President Robert Marshall emphasized that annexation would likely not serve the districts’ best interests, advocating instead for a mutually beneficial centralization or shared services arrangement. “Annexation gives me the willies,” he said. “There’s no benefit for either community.”
The next step includes selecting a consultant from two organizations that responded to a request for proposal. Officials anticipate sharing initial findings from the feasibility study by late fall, with potential community votes on the matter no earlier than winter. The earliest any formal reorganization could occur would be July 2026.
Responses to community questions raised during the session are expected to be shared publicly by March 21. Another public meeting is anticipated within the coming weeks to meet with potential consultants and further engage residents of both districts.
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