Cobleskill-Richmondville isn't going along with an offer from Constitution Pipeline.
School board members Monday night voted to reject Constitution's proposal for a right-of-way across the BOCES Tech Center campus in Schoharie.
Superintendent Lynn Macan said Constitution, which is proposing a natural gas line across Schoharie County, offered BOCES $25,475.02 for a permanent right-of-way across BOCES property.
The BOCES school board was to decline the offer Monday night, and BOCES Superintendent Charles Dedrick is asking local school boards for their opinions.
The main concern is for safety because Tech Center students use bulldozers, backhoes and other heavy equipment on the Schoharie campus.
Using such equipment near a gas line could be dangerous, board members said.
"With heavy machinery there, I think it's the right thing to do" to decline Constitution's offer, board member Dan Schulte said.
Besides noting that the Constitution offer "wasn't much money," Dr. Macan added that C-R didn't want to support what could be a controversial issue "that could divide the community."
Board members voted unanimously to decline the Constitution offer.
Dr. Macan wasn't sure whether neighboring school boards had acted on the issue.