The $4.9 million fine levied in 2013 by the state Education Department against the Panama Central School District has never made much sense.

In 2013, the state fined Panama $4.9 million for paperwork errors on building projects completed in 2002 and 2005. Fining a school district for paperwork errors — nearly a decade after the — has always seemed punitive and a bit excessive. Exempting the school from future state-aided building projects seemed a more fitting punishment than penalizing students for the sins of district administration. Now, a fine that made little sense in the first place is creating questions for Clymer residents considering a merger of the Clymer Central School District with Panama Central School.

Clymer residents are right to be concerned. It’s bad enough Panama students and taxpayers are being penalized, so why should Clymer’s students and taxpayers be penalized too? Dave Kurzawa, a consultant working with residents and board members in both communities, told Clymer residents last week that the fine may disappear after a new school district is created or that the fine could be paid from merger incentive aid.

If Gov. Andrew Cuomo is serious about encouraging mergers and consolidations, he would find a way to cancel the fine against the Panama Central School District before a merger plan is put together. There is enough uncertainty in two communities considering a merger without the state Education Department throwing another monkey wrench into the mix.