Decision makers should guard against diminishing returns
Question: Where are we going as a community?
In some respects our community is fading. Our school population was 522 in 1975. In 1995 it had dropped to 442. This year it stands at 287.
Schools serve as “anchors” for a community, along with its churches. They need to be vibrant, and that means families—young families.
From that core, everything else grows… McCauley Mountain for example.
In some ways the decline was inevitable and mirrors trends elsewhere in upstate New York.But we as a community, our town government, our school government, our Herkimer County Clerk and even some business owners have either not taken steps or missed opportunities to address many of the issues that are contributing to what will be a very real issue in the survival of our community for the next few years and for decades to come.
A few years ago, in an effort to reduce teacher hours, our Webb School reduced the hours of a science teacher position. The affected teacher had to take a job elsewhere, moving his family, which included three school age children. One percent of our total student population, gone overnight. A weekend visitor bought the family’s home in Old Forge.
A little over a year ago, the school had an opening for a non-teaching position. After reviewing numerous local qualified applicants, some with children in our school, the school hired a gentleman from out of town who commutes in daily and as I understand it has no intention of moving to Inlet, Webb or Forestport. Are we taking steps as best we can to enhance, maintain and more importantly save our community? Are we not seeing our future clearly enough?
When we lose an opportunity to secure a local family, we lose their presence and contributions to churches and businesses. They don’t teach our Sunday School, they don’t buy our groceries, they don’t buy passes for McCauley, they don’t donate clothes and food and support local charities. They don’t raise children that may become our next generation.
All north county school district numbers are going down, down, down. But are decisions we make contributing to the decline? How about steering resources, at every opportunity, into the future of our community; and not just our school resources.
A few years back, a local gentleman was in need of steady income. He had years of experience with trucking and heavy equipment. He is honest, well liked and a hard worker. He was passed over for a Town of Webb driver position; maybe it was thought that he didn’t need the money.
This past month, he sold his house and moved. Three more school students gone. Another year round house transferred to a local visitor.
I understand many factors go into hiring and other decisions. But we ignore THE BIG PICTURE at our own peril.
