By Colleen Mahoney
WEST VALLEY– The West Valley Board of Education voted to merge the district’s athletic program with Ellicottville Central Schools, at their Jan. 26 meeting. The unanimous approval came after the board spent a portion of their meeting discussing their personal feelings on each district.
Ellicottville was chosen over both Franklinville Central School and Springville-Griffith Institute. Representatives from the West Valley board, and Superintendent Eric Lawton, attended a board meeting for each district, before the vote.
“From my perspective, we had a genuine conversation with Ellicottville,” said board president Mike Frascella. “There’s a familiarity with the Ellicottville folks … we don’t get that with Springville folks … we’re just in different areas.”
Geographically, S-GI is the closest district, with just under 10 miles sepreating the two. However, the larger district presents the feeling of students “getting lost,” Athletic Director April Preston said at a Jan. 20 public forum. Merging with the Griffins would have introduced West Valley to a host of new competitor schools, moving the Wildcats into the Erie County Interscholastic Conference. A merge with Ellicottville will keep West Valley in their current Cattaraugus County Athletic Association.
Board vice president George Kazmierczak said he originally favored merging the athletic program with S-GI, but the $1.3 million budget deficit the district is facing “scared [him] away.” He added that Franklinville asked a lot of in-depth questions, and showed a high level of interest.
Merging with Ellicottville, however, might also mean merging with Franklinville. The two districts have been discussing combining their athletic department, if the West Valley — Ellicottville merger is approved, any movement in the Ellicottville athletic department would involve West Valley. Potentially forming West Valley – Ellicottville – Franklinville fielded teams, as early as the 2015-16 school year.
Board member Mary Fleischman said she felt whichever district West Valley chose to partner with, academics need to be a higher priority than athletics, and hopes a sports merger is “just the beginning of great things to come.”
Lawton said he felt the merger would “be wonderful” citing the the increase of opportunities West Valley students will be offered.
“I think [Ellicottville] was the logical choice, we’ve been sharing sports with them for a few years, “ Lawton said of the board vote. “There’s a comfort with students in our district with Ellicottville.”
Lawton said he felt the Ellicottville district was receptive to the idea of merging with West Valley, even having representatives at the public forum, which he said was the only district to do so.
Having previously seen each other as rival districts, Lawton said the important thing is that all the students will have a chance to experience more opportunities, “our students want to play,” he said.
With the approval from the West Valley board, the next step is to wait for an approval from the Ellicottville Board of Education, which Lawton expects to happen after Ellicottville residents have a chance to voice their opinion on the merger. If the board chooses not to approve the merger, the West Valley board will vote for another district.
“I don’t see really going there, to be honest,” Lawton said of a Ellicottville denial. “Like I said, they were very receptive.”
The board also approved the alternative veteran’s tax exemption, to be applicable to all 2015 assessment rolls finalized on July 1. The resolution called for a level of $12,000 for non-combat veteran, an additional $8,000 for combat veterans and up to $40,000 for disabled veterans. The vote came after a Jan. 5 public hearing where the board heard community input.
The next West Valley Board of Education meeting will be Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the high school library and media center.