Ellsworth Independent-Reporter

Ellsworth boys rescued from train car
Two five-year-old Ellsworth boys were rescued from the inside of a coal car July 28 on the rairoad tracks in Ellsworth. No injuries were reported.

Friday July 30

After Harvest Czech Festival

Wilson
Wilson celebrates its 50th annual festival this year. The festival continues Saturday, July 30, and include a large parade and many other activities.

Ellsworth should be involved in consolidation talks
By Linda Mowery-Denning
Last Updated: December 16, 2009

Over the years, the 15 miles between Ellsworth and Wilson have at times seemed more like 115. It's understandable that each community is a fierce defender of its identity. However, these are extraordinary times that call for thinking beyond the borders of our towns or even our counties.

In Topeka, the Parkinson Administration and state legislators continue to scramble to meet budget demands. The job seems to become more difficult each month. In December, the state's lack of cash flow forced state officials to delay $173 million in aid payments to public schools. Deputy Education Commissioner Dale Dennis said the state's cash crunch could cause the same thing to happen in January and February. We're probably not talking months — but rather years — before state coffers regain their health.

Common wisdom says that lawmakers will not mandate the consolidation of school districts. It's been more than 40 years since the Legislature forced districts across Kansas to combine. The experience was apparently tramatic enough that legislators don't want to be directly responsible for another round of shotgun marriages.

That said, there are other ways to whittle away at the number of Kansas school districts. One is to tighten the purse strings, thus reducing the dollars sent to individual districts and leaving some with few options for the future — especially when such a reduction is accompanied by declining enrollment.

Almost two weeks ago, representatives from Claflin and the Lorraine-based USD 328 met to hear information on consolidation and other options from an attorney with the Kansas Assoociation of School Boards. The boards of the two districts plan to meet again before the end of the year.

If USD 328 board members decide to continue the district's investigation into consolidation, we would hope the Ellsworth school district would be part of the discussion. USD 328 not only covers Bushton, Holyrood and Lorraine — it also includes Wilson and Dorrance. It makes sense for at least Wilson to look to Ellsworth for a partnership.

Of course, both communities have been down this road before, most recently about a decade ago when the roadblocks were too big to overcome. Times are much different today. Both Wilson and Ellsworth need students, a trend that isn't expected to change anytime soon. The state also wasn't as desperate for money as it is now.

It's possible Wilson and Ellsworth aren't a good fit. But the school boards should at least be talking. Right now, both districts have options. That may not be the case in the not-to-distant future.

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