During the 1980s, the focus of the Association turned from labor issues
to legislation and coalition building. 

By 1980 MCSBA had developed several effective avenues for dealing with labor
relations, while the state and federal governments were exerting more control
over educational matters.  During this decade MCSBA would realign its
resources and organization to reflect the new focus.
 

That year an Interdistrict Cooperation Committee was
formed to explore ways to save programs during a time
of rapidly declining enrollments.  Its work led to the
development of BOCES programs in vocational/
technical education and the performing arts.

The Labor Relations Committee that year developed a
position in support of the Taylor Law, which at that time
was under attack by unions.
 

New communications initiatives

Several annual events were initiated that school year:

* A dinner meeting for board presidents;
* An annual social event with legislators;
* A bus trip to Albany;
* A meeting of leaders with the Gannett Editorial Board.

Also that year--

* The Public Information Committee hosted the first of many annual seminars for the media;         
 

* The MCSBA office moved to West Irondequoit's Seneca School on St. Paul
   Boulevard.

First MCSBA President Jim Green was asked to write a historical perspective
of the Association, in which he wrote -

(We) have come a long way since then...We have learned the value
cooperative action...We develop common goals and bring a con-
centrated focus to achieve beneficial legislative action.  We are
achieving effects that can only be realized by acting in concert.
 

The last several years had witnessed a change in
membership support for involvement in the legislative
process.  Since the organization's birth in 1970 some
members had been advocating for public schools at the
state and federal levels.  These efforts and their resulting
victories eventually demonstrated their value, especially
as state and federal governments increasingly intruded
into local decision making.  This growing awareness of
the value of lobbying led over the years to increased
MCSBA activity in the legislative arena.
 

To ensure that MCSBA was addressing member priorities, a Futures Committee
led by Kenneth O'Brien of Fairport was established to set long-term priorities for
the Association.  The committee recommended seven goals, listed below, which
sought a widening scope of activities for the Association, and which were
approved by the Executive Committee:

♦ Effectively represent member districts;

♦ Promote the actions of member districts;

♦ Preserve and enhance educational programs by encouraging inter-district
cooperation;

♦  Promote legislative positions developed by representatives of all member
districts;

♦ Educate members about labor relations and develop common positions for
negotiations;

♦ Help board members develop necessary skills;

♦ Develop coalitions with other persons and groups and working relationships
with local industries and agencies.
 

In other business that year, MCSBA entered discussions, which would extend
over several years, on proposals for redistributing the county sales tax.

Sales Tax Distribution

Redistribution of county sales tax revenues was a major
issue for the whole county for the next two years.  In an
effort to transfer some tax burden from the over-burdened
city to the county as an alternative to redistributing the
sales tax, County Executive Lucien Morin proposed the

Within MCSBA there were a number of concerns:

♦ City schools had limited financial resources and larger numbers of students
with special educational needs;

♦ Suburban districts would be forced to present budgets for public vote that
required greater dependence on local property taxes;

♦ Sales tax redistribution discussions might undermine MCSBA's efforts to be
a true coalition of all county districts;

♦  MCSBA, as a group of taxing jurisdictions directly affected by any
redistribution of tax monies, should be involved in developing any redistribution
plan.
 

Sales tax discussions would continue into the next school year.
 

The Executive Committee met three times in the spring and summer of 1984
to discuss the Morin-Ryan Sales Tax Plan, leading to MCSBA supporting the
Charter Amendments to the Morin-Ryan Plan, which included the following:

♦ Continue the share of revenues for suburban districts;
♦ Limit the increase of the city's share;
♦ Terminate the provisions on June 30, 1990.

These amendments were approved by the NYS Legislature.  In a related action,
County Manager Morin appointed MCSBA's Larry Becker to serve on the
Monroe County Sales Tax Committee.

A Move to Reorganize the Association

The work of the Futures Committee, and the announcement by Dr. Stirling that he
would retire in June 1985, led the Association to consider realigning its resources
to more closely reflect its shifting priorities.  An Organizational Study Committee
was established that recommended alternative organizational structures.  Its
proposals were revised during several meetings of the Executive Committee
before that Committee adopted a new structure in August 1985.

During the 1984-85 year, MCSBA also sponsored a meeting of local government
officials with NYSSBA representatives to discuss common concerns about state
aid to local jurisdictions; and the Public Information Committee changed its name
to Information Exchange Committee to reflect its change in focus.

The last issue of MCSBA's labor relations newsletter was published in June 1985
upon the retirement of labor research associate Dr. William Stirling.

At MCSBA's sixteenth annual meeting, members elected Patricia May of
Fairport as President and Judith Wadsworth of Honeoye Falls-Lima as Vice
President.
 

The reorganization plan approved by the Executive
Committee in August 1985:

* Made legislative action the primary emphasis;
* Eliminated the positions of labor research associate
          and part time secretary;
* Reduced the number of committee meetings but
          proposed general membership meetings;
* Delegated existing labor studies to superintendents
          working with BOCES.
 

Change in Leadership

In October Executive Director Jann Packard announced that she would resign by
March 1, 1986.  An Executive Director Search Committee led by Vice President
Wadsworth developed and implemented a search process that involved the
membership in identifying desired characteristics for a new leader.

In February 1986 the Executive Committee appointed John Woods as MCSBA's
new Executive Director.  He had previously served as President of NYSSBA,
as a member of MCSBA's Steering Committee, and as a member of the Greece
Board of Education.

In May 1986, at the Association's seventeenth annual meeting, members elected
Judy Wadsworth of Honeoye Falls-Lima as 1986-87 President and Catherine
Spoto of Rochester as Vice President.
 

It was becoming increasingly clear that to be an effective
education advocate, MCSBA's voice had to be in
harmony with similar voices raising related concerns.

It was also clear that the recent reorganization had
caused some internal discomfort about Association
objectives. 

These concerns led to the identification of internal and
external coalition building as the top priority of the year.
 

To promote coalitions with other groups:
♦ Regular meetings were instituted between MCSBA leaders and the two area
Regents, the Gannett Editorial Board, NYSUT, NEA, and the Genesee Valley
PTA.  Regular meetings with most of these groups have continued to the present.

♦ MCSBA helped WHEC-TV produce a journalistic series featuring county
schools.

♦ MCSBA leadership mounted an extensive successful campaign to gain
NYSSBA support for a lobbying effort on behalf of save harmless districts, thus
garnering increased aid for MCSBA's twelve affected districts.
 

Advocacy the Top Priority

That year MCSBA spearheaded a major effort to deal
with initiatives of the NYS Legislature and Board of
Regents.  A major response to the Regents Action
Plan, based on research begun the previous year, was
submitted.  President Spoto presented testimony on
building aid and asbestos issues to the NYS Senate
Education Committee.  The Association submitted

In August 1988, to support the increase in advocacy and communication efforts,
Past President Judy Wadsworth was hired as Assistant to the Executive
Director.

Also that year, MCSBA moved to 1600 Dewey Avenue, between Ridge Road
and Ridgeway Avenue.
 

The featured speaker at that meeting was incoming
NYS Commissioner of Education Dr. Thomas Sobol
who shared his vision for improving education.
 

This year brought further involvement in activities
designed further the cause of local control and public
education.

♦ Leaders of MCSBA and the county departments of
Health, Mental Health and Social Services were
convened by President Frankel to identify collaborative
strategies to provide student services.  This group met
frequently until 1991 county budget cuts; a core group
of administrators met for two more years.

♦ The Association organized meetings for board presidents, superintendents,
and negotiators to share information, meetings that continued on an as-needed
basis for ten years.

♦ MCSBA became involved in discussions about a proposed county property
tax abatement plan to provide incentives for manufacturing expansion, a plan
with serious implications for public schools.  MCSBA was invited to join a
bipartisan commission to review tax abatement provisions.

Also that year, Mary Talbot joined the staff of MCSBA as secretary, accountant,
bookkeeper, mail clerk, receptionist, etc.  In other words, she's been the one who
has made the Association hum since then.