Mathews, Lakeview mull sharing services

By Jordan Cohen

Both boards say ‘no’ to possible consolidation.

CORTLAND — The Mathews and Lakeview school boards said they are enthusiastic about the possibility of sharing services to help save money and improve their academic programs.

The two boards, meeting Wednesday night at the Lakeview High School Media Center, indicated they plan to authorize their superintendents to study areas of cooperation next month.

Members of both boards said they planned to move cautiously.

“We are in uncharted waters, and everything is on the table,” said Robert Thompson of Mathews. “I can’t say we’re for or against anything, because this is a work in progress.”

The two superintendents, Robert Wilson of Lakeview and Lee Seiple of Mathews, said they “began dialogue” six months ago about finding ways that could save their districts money. “That was the bottom line,” Seiple said.

Among the items that Seiple said could be considered is joint purchasing, from natural gas to supplies. Wilson said transportation could be an area of mutual cooperation, pointing out that Mathews buses go through the Lakeview district to take students to the Trumbull Career and Technical Center.

“Just one bus would suffice,” Wilson said.

Board members talked about the possibility of sharing personnel for courses such as advanced placement or language classes.

“Maybe this could help save our academic programs,” said Mary Williams, Lakeview board president. “We’re always asking how we pay for them, and maybe this can help.”

One subject apparently on the minds of board members and the 25-member audience was the issue of consolidation, something that speakers emphatically rejected.

“This is not about consolidation,” Thompson said.

“It sounds like it,” responded Sandra Webber, president of the Mathews Education Association, the teachers’ union. Webber asked whether personnel could lose jobs as a result of shared services and called for dialogue.

“You need to work with the respective associations,” Webber said. Seiple also encouraged cooperation with the teacher associations, warning that they would likely oppose any proposal that involves loss of jobs.

John Ferris, a Lakeview district resident, was not sympathetic, however.

“Remember, this is for the students and not about jobs,” Ferris said to the boards.

Afterward, the two superintendents said they were encouraged by what they heard. Wilson called the joint effort “something to shoot for” while Seiple said that goals have been set “and now we have to meet them.”

Because the two boards had agreed not to take formal action at their joint meeting, authorization for the two superintendents to explore sharing services will have to wait until the next regular board meetings in April. Members of both boards said they expect to approve.