BOARD OF EDUCATION

MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK

MARCH 19, 2008

A regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, New York was held Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at the Board of Education Office, 223 Wisner Avenue, Board President Rose Tobiassen, presiding.

Present:      Mr. Crescenzo, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro,Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Mr. Geiger, Ms. Tobiassen – 7.

Absent:        Mr. Estrada, Mr. Paul – 2.

Others         Kenneth Eastwood, Superintendent of Schools
Attending:   Elizabeth McKean, School Business Administrator
                     Richard DelMoro, Director of Secondary Education
                     Darlene McDonough, Director of Elementary Education
                     Selena Fischer, Director for Pupil Personnel & Special Services
                     Thomas Scott, Superintendent of Buildings & Ground
                     Michael Tuttle, Chief Technology Officer

Ms. Tobiassen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mrs. Knapp made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to have an executive session to discuss matters leading to the employment, discipline, suspension of a particular person. Motion was unanimously approved.

Public session resumed at 7:45 p.m. The meeting was called to order to discuss and ask for public input on the topics of Contract for Excellence and the 2008-09 Budget.

Mr. Perrino led the pledge to the flag.

Ms. Tobiassen introduced Mrs. McKean and Dr. Hatfield who then proceeded to conduct the attached presentation on Contract for Excellence (see attached). Mrs. McKean advised the public that this presentation will be available on the District’s website.

Mrs. McKean asked for public input/questions at this time. There were none. Mrs. McKean informed everyone that she would take any questions regarding Contract for Excellence by email (emckean@ecsdm.org), mail, or by phone (326-1195).

Mrs. McKean went onto review the 2008-2009 Budget Recommendations (see attached). Mrs. McKean said that this presentation is also available on the district’s website.

Mr. Geiger asked that if the public did not wish to come to the microphone regarding C4E funding, to please contact and voice your opinion to the Board and to local Legislators.

At 8:43 p.m., Mr. Perrino made a motion, seconded by Dr. Mauro, to adjourn the meeting. Motion was unanimously approved.

At 8:48 p.m., Ms. Tobiassen called the regular meeting to order.

Mr. Perrino made a motion, seconded by Ms. Perkins, to approve the agenda with the following amendments:

• Add as Item No. III - Communications
• Add under – Action Items, #2) Uphold Superintendent’s Decision on Student Appeal, Student #3466

Ayes: Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 7.
Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.

Ms. Tobiassen advised the Board that the following policies that were handed out this evening were for information only: Board Members Participation and Grievance Hearings, Board Norms, Executive Sessions, Orienting New Board Members.

Ms. Tobiassen read a letter from Rabbi Schwab who had concerns about the 2008-09 school calendar and the District closing only for the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Ms. Tobiassen stated that the calendar that the Board voted on, was recommended and agreed upon by superintendents and it is the calendar that districts have adopted and is what all school districts are following. Dr. Eastwood stated that students are not penalized for religious observances.

Ms. Tobiassen shared a letter from Martha Bogart, who is running for a seat on the Orange-Ulster BOCES Board. Mrs. Bogart was asking for the District’s support.

Ms. Tobiassen advised that the District received a grade “A” from the Times Herald Record on our timely response in answering FOIL requests (Freedom of Information Law).

Mr. Crescenzo made a motion, seconded by Ms. Perkins, to approve Personnel Memorandum #46.

Ayes: Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 7.
Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.

Mr. Crescenzo made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to approve the Award of Bids – High School Pressbox.

Ayes: Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 7.
Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.

Dr. Eastwood and the Board discussed and decided to do a walk-thru of the project at the High School before the April 3, 2008 meeting.

Mr. Crescenzo made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to Uphold the Superintendent’s Decision on a Student Appeal (Student #3466).

Ayes: Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 7.
Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.

PRESENTATIONS:

• Martin Harnick announced that the 10K Classic will be held on June 8, 2008. Details will be on Channel 20. A course map of the race was provided (see attached).

Ms. Perkins made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to amend the agenda at this time, to include a Presentation by Tri-State Geese Police.

Ayes: Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 7.
Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.

PRESENTATIONS (continued)

• Craig Neveras, Tri-State Geese Police, introduced their services of using working Border Collies
• as an environmentally safe method of controlling geese on property (see attached brochure).
• Mike Tuttle, Chief Technology Officer, explained that the District now has policies on-line, which are now on the District’s website for the public to access.

Dr. Eastwood suggested that the Board consider switching to paperless board meetings as a means to reduce paper costs.

Ms. Tobiassen said that the District is looking into using computerized voter poll books for the upcoming budget vote and board member election.

Mr. Geiger made the suggestion for our on-line policies to designate a section for new polices and for changes to policies within the year.

Dr. Mauro requested to include an index for our on-line policies.

Ms. Tobiassen stated that petitions to run for a seat on the Middletown Board of Education must be submitted to the District Clerk by April 30, 2008.

• Dr. Kenneth Eastwood, Superintendent of Schools – Tax Caps (see attached).

Tax caps are seen as a way of controlling property tax. Most concerns are around how we can control spending and increases to the tax levys of municipalities, including school districts. Solutions come from STAR (rebates based on income for property owners). There was a discussion on the different types of caps, which include caps on assessments and caps on revenue. The graph that Dr. Eastwood provided (see attached) shows that Middletown School District is significantly below State average for State tax levy increase.

Ms. Perkins advised that OCSBA will have a meeting on April 2, 2008, at BOCES in Goshen.

Ms. Tobiassen requested Mrs. McKean bring to the next board meeting any questions or concerns that the public has asked her regarding the budget.

Mrs. Knapp requested that a list of Legislators and their addresses be posted on the district’s website. Mrs. Knapp stated that the Audit Committee will meet on April 17, 2008, 6:30 p.m.

There being no further business, at 10:15 p.m., Mr. Perrino made a motion, seconded by Mr. Crescenzo, to adjourn the meeting at this time. Motion was unanimously approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Michelle K. Towle

District Clerk