Herkimer, NY (WIBX) - Residents in four Herkimer County school districts will soon decide whether they want to merge together into one.

Last night, the Boards of Education in Ilion, Herkimer, Mohawk and Frankfort-Schuyler voted unanimously to merge. The next step is an advisory referendum vote on January 19th, to see if the public agrees with the school districts' decisions.

Herkimer Interim Superintendent, Gary Tutty, said if voters in one district disapprove of the merger, there is still an opportunity to continue.

"If it's three of the schools, they can actually use the same findings and just adjust them, tweak them, that they got for the four schools," Tutty said. "If it's two schools that want to do it, you have to do a whole new study."

Tutty said a new study would push back any proposed merger by at least another year.

If all four districts vote to continue, a binding referendum vote will take place February 29th.

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