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Voters of different opinions, but all turn out to voice them in Frankfort

By NICOLE HART

Story Created: Jan 19, 2012 at 7:11 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jan 19, 2012 at 7:19 PM EDT

FRANKFORT, NY (WKTV) - This is what it's all come down to -the study, the Q&A sessions and all of those meetings have led up to the straw vote.

Grandmother, mother, taxpayer and community member, Deborah Yeagle told NEWSChannel 2, "I don't want my school to lose its identity. I don't want their school to lose its identity."

But on the contrary, Al Zennamo said, "We gotta' consolidate buildings. We have to consolidate employees. We have to save money."

There was a constant flow of community members in and out of the old gymnasium at the Frankfort-Schuyler middle and high school; as voters were out in full force, voicing their opinion as to whether or not the Frankfort-Schuyler, Ilion, Mohawk and Herkimer school districts should merge.

While there didn't seem to be a general consensus among people we spoke with, voters definitely had their opinions.

2011 Graduate of Frankfort-Schuyler High School, Charles DiSano said, "I voted no, because I think this was a rushed situation. I think it wasn't given too much thought."

"People gotta just suck it up... We gotta save money." argued Zennamo

Yeagle says she voted, 'no'. She says among other reasons, are the sentimental reasons.

"These kids are going to lose their schools," Yeagle said. "They're not going to maintain their individual identities. School spirit and everything else.That's the main objective. And they're going to lose it all."

Al Zennamo says the merger is inevitable.

"In a couple of years the state is going to come in and force it," Zennamo said. "It's gonna' be a lot worse."

But, no matter the outcome of Thursday night's straw vote, Yeagle says, "I gotta go with the flow. If that's the way the vote goes, that's the way it goes."

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