CITY OF TONAWANDA
School district joins talks on collaboration
Hoping to develop a shared relationship that goes beyond bulk purchasing, the City of Tonawanda and the city school district held a joint public forum Monday on its recent grant to improve collaboration between the two public entities.
While the audience was comprised mostly of officials from the city and schools, many publicly admitted that drastic changes to their operations should be on the table for discussion, including moving the high school football field from the beloved Clint Small Stadium and finding a new place for city hall in order to sell the current building, which is located on valuable waterfront property.
“If we don’t start doing this, there isn’t going to be a Tonawanda,” said Mayor Ronald Pilozzi. “I think we all want Tonawanda to be here for our kids and their kids.”
The shared services grant will be overseen by Rochester’s Center for Governmental Research. Representatives from the company moderated the forum after a presentation explaining their mission.
“It’s too early in the process [for reports],” said CGR associate Scott Sittig. “This is for us to get some feedback.”
The company has been studying documents and interviewing department heads from both entities for several weeks. The company will research ways the city and schools can cooperate through purchasing, technology, maintenance and facilities use.
Like other communities in Erie County, the City of Tonawanda has seen a population loss during the past three decades, but the city’s population has decreased far more rapidly than other municipalities. The current population is also far older on average, translating into an enrollment decrease in the schools this decade.
With their enrollment loss, the School Board has discussed consolidating its schools over the past few years. Board member Lynn Casal said the idea of neighborhood schools may be a luxury for Tonawanda.
“Whatever it takes to keep our individual identity I’m willing to consider before we are forced to dissolve into someone else,” she said.
Both the city and schools have compiled long-range studies in recent years, but few recommendations from those studies have been completed.
