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Week of July 9, 2025 Home of The Pomares Family
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School board accepts donation for JV soccer By kate hill Staff writer
Cazenovia celebrates Independence Day
BOE vacancy and new leadership
Kate Hill
Earlier in the meeting, the board voted Judith Hight into the office of president and Travis Barr into the position of vice president for 2025-26. The BOE also discussed how it will fill a new vacancy on the board. Hight explained that the board accepted Meghan Kelly’s resignation on June 18. She had a year remaining in her threeyear term. The incoming board member will fill the vacancy through June 2026. When discussing the option of holding another public election, BOE member Jan Woodworth and CCSD Superintendent Christopher DiFulvio pointed out that an election would cost the district at least $5,000 and that the board is within its rights to appoint a new member. The board concluded the discussion by agreeing that the best path forward is to advertise and accept applications for the vacancy. “We will post the timeline, etc. in the paper when we have those details from our legal team,” DiFulvio said following the meeting.
On Friday, July 4, crowds of community members and visitors gathered in downtown Cazenovia for the traditional Fourth of July Parade. Other events throughout the day included the Annual Fourth of July Foot Races, the Cazenovia Rowing Club Pancake Breakfast, downtown sidewalk sales, swimming and live music in Lakeland Park, and the Cazenovia Lions Club-sponsored fireworks over the south end of the lake.
‘Yard of the Week’ award anonymously introduced BY KATE HILL STAFF WRITER
On Sunday, June 8, Village of Cazenovia residents Fred and Eileen Rogers awoke to discover a sign on the lawn of their home at 97 Lincklaen St. recognizing it as the Lincklaen Street “Yard of the Week.” “It was there bright and early that morning,” said Fred. “Someone, ‘like a thief in the night,’ had placed it.” Upon reading the terms inscribed on the Coroplast sign, the couple discovered it was their duty to pass the honor along to a successor the following Sunday. According to Fred, the originator of the award is unknown; however, residents have their suspicions. “We were very gratified, especially not knowing who the ‘mystery judge’ was,” Fred said about the recognition. The inaugural award win-
On July 1, the Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education (CCSD BOE) adopted a resolution to accept a $20,977 donation from the Cazenovia Athletic Association (CAA) to be used to reinstate the girls’ and boys’ junior varsity (JV) soccer teams for the 2025-26 school year. According to a letter to the BOE from the CAA Executive Board, the donation will support coaching stipends, officials’ fees, and transportation costs for both teams. The total estimated JV program cost that was provided by the district to the CAA was slightly less than the total amount fundraised. According to community partner Emily Stevens, the CAA will set the extra funds aside for the Cazenovia soccer program. During the meeting’s public comment period, Stevens thanked the CAA for its assistance, the district administration for answering her questions while navigating uncharted territory, and the public for coming together to support the JV soccer fundraiser. “Within one week, we were able to raise over $22,000 in support of this JV program,” Stevens said before the board unanimously voted to accept the donation. “I know this is not a longterm solution, but my hope is that it can buy us [some] time as we look to more permanent solutions for these programs. As we know, academics are why we are here; [they are] the cornerstone of our school district, but athletics, as well as other programs, are just as important for other reasons. Sometimes they are more important because they bring our students to school and provide that sense of community for them. . . . I went to Marcellus [and] played JV soccer; those were very formative years for me. I even went on to write my college essay about soccer and got into my top choice. . . . I thank you as a board of education for really supporting our students in all that you do. I hope that next year we have a better solution, but I thank you and hope that you accept our donation.”
ners selected Jeff and Erin Dewan at 115 Lincklaen as the next recipients of the award. “We wanted to encourage a young, house-proud family,” Fred noted. The following week, the sign was passed to the bed and breakfast at 55 Lincklaen. “The motivation behind the designation is shadowy, although one presumes it is to boost neighborhood camaraderie — and upgrade appearances,” Fred said on June 29. “. . . The first three awards have leaned heavily on lawn — as opposed to shrub or plantings — beauty and have so far favored do-it-yourselfers rather than the carriage trade with lawn services. [In the future,] one potential controversy could be how far Lincklaen Street, as opposed to [Lincklaen] Road, is thought to extend, and thus who might be eligible for the distinction.” The following day, Fred
Statewide ban on personal smartphones and internetenabled devices
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Lincklaen Street recently introduced an award for “Yard of the Week.” reported that the sign had been moved to 120 Lincklaen,
the first win for the east side of the street.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature recently passed a law prohibiting students from using personal smartphones or internet-enabled devices during the school day, from arrival to dismissal. The law, effective September 2025, will impact all K–12 public schools, charter schools, and BOCES programs across the state. According to a July 1 message to the CCSD community, internet-enabled devices are defined as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, or any device capable of connecting to the internet and accessing online content, including social media applications. School-issued devices are not included in the ban, and exceptions exist for students who require access to personal devices for medical reasons or as part of an individualized education program or 504 Plan. CCSD worked with Erie 1 BOCES Policy Service to develop a new policy for use in the district. The district is required to gather input from all stakeholders, including parents, students, and staff. Feedback can be shared through a brief survey or by speak-
Volume 215, Number 28 The Cazenovia Republican is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 35 Albany St., Second Floor, Cazenovia, NY 13035. Pe r i o d i ca l Po sta ge Pa i d at Cazenovia, NY 13035, USPS 095-260. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Cazenovia Republican, 2501 James St., Suite 108, Syracuse, NY 13206.
community: Cazenovia Pride Fest returns to Lorenzo State Historic Site.
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events: CNY Youth Jazz Orchestra plays at Lakeland Tuesday.
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