After achieving their goal of defeating the proposed merger between Brocton Central and Fredonia Central Schools, members of a Brocton organization that called themselves Save our Schools, carried their objectives one step further. They drew up a five page list of suggestions and recommendations that they presented to the Brocton School Board and the administration.

Claiming the members are “invested in and enthusiastic about the Brocton community and school,” the organization changed its name to Support Our Students and School.

“We want what is best for our children and hope that our community stays involved and zealous in the pursuit of success for all the students at Brocton Central,” the group’s statement said.

They said they hoped the school board and the administration would be “willing to make decisions that will quickly get our school back on track” by implementing the cost saving ideas they came up with.

This list was presented to the school board after the Brocton community defeated the proposed merger in December.

Board president Rodney Geiben said the school board and the administration have responded to the list and have provided answers at various meetings since the list was presented.

One SOSS suggestion to downsize the school staff has been followed by the school board with 18 cuts included in this year’s proposed 2010-11 budget.

Other SOSS recommendations, such as reducing the lighting in the school’s hallways, was rejected because of safety issues, Geiben explained.

Responding to a suggestion that families which owe money for student lunches be taken to small claims court was discounted by business executive Betty DeLand.

“By the end of the school year, outstanding debts have been collected without having to go to court. The school cafeteria is self-funded and is running out of debt,” she said.

Transportation was another issue raised by the SOSS organization.

The members suggested combining the bus stops to avoid pickup at individual homes and, because more and more high school students are driving to school, a parking fee should be charged.

Board member David Hazelton expressed concern about the bus costs several years ago and according to a study done at that time, it would be more expensive to change the schedule.

“In order to combine the bus runs, we would have to hire more people, buy more buses and the students would have to ride longer,” he explained.

Geiben said he understands the frustration and dismay the district residents are experiencing over the cuts and the tax increase the board has proposed for the 2010-11 budget.

But, he has an ominous warning – “If you think this year is bad, wait until next year.”

Brocton district resident Steven Smith has been an outspoken opponent of the merger with Fredonia and a critic of the school board’s decisions.

He has been supportive of the SOSS actions and recommendations and said the district could save money if the school employees’ salaries and benefits were frozen.

“We’ve been told that contractual obligations have to be met but, in other areas, wage and benefit freezes have been instituted,” he said.

Lise Bang-Jensen of the Empire Center for Public Policy said it is possible to freeze salaries, but it would take state legislative action. According to an opinion from the New York based-law firm of Bond, Schoeneck and King, Bang-Jensen cited, because it would serve a public purpose, a state statute that freezes salaries, including abrogating so-called “step” increases and lane movement in existing collective bargaining agreements, would be valid under both state and federal law as long as specific legislative findings demonstrate that the scope and duration of the freeze is reasonable and necessary to protect the public.

If this action were to be taken, the Brocton School district’s property owners wouldn’t be faced with a double digit tax increase.

Temporary wage freezes are lawful under New York and Federal Law provided that they are supported with appropriate legislative findings and tailored in a reasonable manner to protect the public.