Board drops sports merger in Hammond, Morristown

MORRISTOWN - A motion to merge the modified athletic programs at Morristown and Hammond central schools died on the table in Morristown Tuesday evening, effectively ending a year-long conversation between the two districts about the possible benefits of such a move.

“I just don’t agree with going with their rules. They gave us what they wanted and I’m not comfortable with accepting it. They can’t just pick and choose,” said Shawn R. Macaulay, one of three Morristown board of education members on the committee involved in discussions with Hammond.

Echoing Mr. Macaulay’s opinion were both James H. Bogardus III and board President Scott A. Rupert.

“We threw a lot of kids under the bus and put ourselves in an awful position just getting them to the table,” said Mr. Bogardus.

Mr. Rupert said he was sticking to his original statement, made several times throughout the past few months.

“It’s modified, JV, and varsity. All or nothing,” he said.

The merger discussion in Morristown got off to a confusing start Tuesday, with Mr. Macaulay and Jane A. Kring, another athletic committee member, offering differing statements of what exactly the committee had agreed upon at its last meeting on Feb. 7.

Mr. Macaulay said that a two-year agreement had been proposed, with all modified programs to be merged beginning in the fall of 2012, except for girls soccer - a sport expected to attract enough players to field a team at both schools.

“That’s what they’ve committed to,” he said. “And once merged, either board can pull out at any time.”

Mrs. Kring said that her understanding was different.

“I thought we had agreed to follow the agreed upon rules for modified sports only, and JV and varsity would be phased in as the modified teams became the JV and varsity,” she said. “They’ve agreed to a phased-in approach. Remember, they don’t have the same financial problems as us.”

For some time, the Morristown board has pledged support for a full-blown athletic merger, while Hammond has remained interested in certain sports and age-groups.

The conversation and decision-making has been batted back and forth between the two districts several times since the conversation began.

Morristown Superintendent David J. Glover said a modified-only merger would mean a cost savings to MCS of about $10,000.

“It starts us down a path we may have to walk all the way down in the future. Will it be perfect? No - there will be bumps along the way. But athletics is what our kids do here. It’s as important to our district as math is,” he said.

As confusion over what exactly they were voting on began to overtake the Morristown board, Mr. Glover sent a text message to Hammond Superintendent Douglas H. McQueer, asking what Hammond had voted on at their meeting, which was taking place simultaneously.

Following a ten minute recess, Mr. Glover reported that Hammond had “approved a two-year commitment to a modified merger,” beginning next school year.

Mrs. Kring then made a motion to do the same, but her motion was never seconded.

“There should be an alternative mentioned if we’re not willing to vote on what we agreed upon last week,” she said.

No further conversation ensued, until public comment, at which time Harriet Beggs, a community member, told the board she’d be “very upset” if they’re decision affected the modified sports program at Morristown next year.

“I hope you haven’t cut off your noses to spite your face,” Mrs. Beggs said. “I hope personal hang-ups don’t come back to bite you.”

Mr. McQueer said he was very disappointed with the outcome.

“Honestly, there’s going to be trust issues moving forward. I’m glad our board changed its position and agreed to a modified merger, which was the committee recommendation as of last week,” he said, noting that his board had voted unanimously in favor of the modified merger.