POPLAR RIDGE -- Ed Moscato warned his colleagues on the Southern Cayuga Central School District Board of Education that omitting membership to a lobbying organization meant effectively squelching any voice the district might have in Albany.

As a local school board meeting wound down Monday night, Moscato tried to sway the board to reconsider its decision last month against building membership to the New York State School Board Association into the district's $15.3 million budget. The cost of membership had risen slightly since last year, and board members were especially mindful of cutting costs this time around.

"They can speak for us," said Moscato, who attended a recent Lobbying Day in Albany, when many organizations visit the state capital to lobby the government. He described vast lobbying organizations that attended with members in force.

School board president Theodore Rejman questioned the possibility of revisiting the decision; district superintendent Thomas Turck stopped him. Acknowledging board members' anguish over recent tough budgetary decisions, he told everyone at the table, "You can't go back."

In other news:

- The school board approved a merged sports agreement with the Union Springs Central School District. The agreement, which saves Southern Cayuga $34,000, merges 12 sports, half being funded by each district. Union Springs had approved the agreement April 17. Athletic directors from each district will put together committees to meet on specifics.

- The board also approved a three-year service contract with the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES for computers and related software. Business administrator Charles Mellor said the $84,000 lease agreement would see school district repay the contract at $28,000 a year. The total amount includes costs for borrowing fees.

- In a treasurer's report, Mellor said that more than $1.2 million in idle funds were vested at 4.46 percent interest, generating approximately $4,500 a month for the general fund.

- Four of seven students from the high school's Public Affairs class made a presentation on their late March trip to Washington D.C. The class gives students college credit through Syracuse University for studies on state and local policy. During their trip, students met briefly with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and met with aides to Sen. Charles Schumer and learned about the legislative process.

Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext 235 or olivia.goldberg@lee.net