Possible St. Elmo/Brownstown School Consolidation Takes Another Step Forward

The ongoing effort to consolidate Brownstown and St. Elmo's schools took another step forward Wednesday evening.

While the effort faces an uphill battle (it was tried a few years ago, but failed), Brownstown's school board voted 5-1 to continue the discussion, in the form of a ten person committee. St. Elmo's board had previously voted in favor of forming the committee.

That committee will be tasked with weighing whether or not consolidation of the schools will be logistically and financially feasible. Both schools face a bleak financial picture that could turn even worse if the state approves a proposal to move pension obligations onto the shoulders of local school districts, a move that many say would be disastrous to smaller districts.