This thread is for archiving the BOE meetings.

February 26, 2001

The students were given the right to elect a non-voting student rep onto the board. Thanks to Erik and his fellow students for all their patience and persistance.

Doan was trying to get Randy Bullis, Shaw's accountant, hired as an internal claims auditor. Chuck Snyder asked that they wait as he had other recommendations for more qualified people. It was tabled I believe.

Our own SOS VP, Curry Rinzler, was appointed to the Facilities Committee. I thought Fred Perry was going into cardiac arrest when Milman appointed Curry.

Doan proposed a motion to again bring in the outside law firm of Shaw for the "evaluation of District Departments adversely affecting State mandates". I spoke about this at PBH (public be heard) and commented that, perhaps, the district should first evaluate the law firm of Shaw in other districts. Melissa spoke about the benefits of Special ed mandates to the community. Marino went ballisic about hiring Shaw again. This is when Rose Ostrander yelled out, "what about the average kids?" The motion was tabled after Doan suggested a spending cap for this endeavor of $20K (to gasps in the audience)and then backed down to $10K. Milman proposed he get an estimate for this investigation before voting.

The bids for the repairs and renovation of the administration office were suggested by Snyder to be rejected because of timeliness and the need for a public vote before the bids are accepted. We are expecting about $200K from insurance, we have earmarked $150K last year for this, and we will need about $50K to complete the project as the bids were about $400K.

Both Hal Rowe and Snyder made statements at the end of the evening that the district funds are getting low. They may have to cut programs for the district to run for the rest of the year under the austerity budget. Snyder very strongly suggested that the district restrict it's spending to make it through the year.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

Answers

BOE meeting 3-13-2001

Mike Grehl gave the transportation budget report and was dragged throught the mud by Mr. Doan who accused him of misrepresenting the true cost of the district bus runs. Doan insisted that privatization was cheaper butr with no figures to back up his statements.

The policy on video cameras on the school buses passed unaminously.

Barbara Boice gave her Special Ed budget presentation which gave a figure of 15% of ther students receiving special education. She cleverly included $20K infunds for anticipated litigation for her anticipation of David Shaw representing the district after July.

Marino D'Orazio was granted the boards permission to have the district lawyer represent him against the charges filed by the D'Errico's.

The board voted 6-1 (Doan dissenting) to approve the 2000-01 Ulster County School Boards Association legislative program which included to "seek legislation to increase the allowable school district fund balance percentage to 5%".

The Shaw presentation on finances is to be presented on Wednesday, March 14. Marino, Meg and Hal asked that the Shaw presentation be postponed by the board because they had just received the report that evening. This was denied by a 5-2 vote. Meg and Marino initially asked that the board have at least a week to digest the material before a public meeting. Meg had asked Shaw for a list of districts Mr. Shaw represented and this was never produced.

The board, at 11:30pm, voted to hire Shaw, yet again, to investigate the Special Ed mandates and it's effects on departments in the district. At 11:15pm Vanacore was leaving when Doan pulled him back to vote on this.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

4/2/01

Long and short of the meeting:

Hal's budget fugures...no additional teaching slots, bvudget goes up over 5% with taxes going up Maybe 8.4%...This is after returning fund balances of 1.9 million to offset the rise in prices.

This is it for tax relief...next year we will have NO large fund balance to give back...the year of J D's election...are you salivating yet?

Talk about transportation, with Mik Grehl getting his figures challenged again. Doan later went on a rampage over the figures used in the W Times article, attempting to refute every one...who knows the truth???

Meg asked for a Code of Condut to be established..marty shuffled her off saying get other examples...

Board moved to appoint new outside auditors. meg tried to get their resume's in hand so references could be checked BEFORE hiring, them. She asked for a week's delay as a courtesy...Marino chimed in and spoke about courtesy to a board member. They, with Perry leading the charge,blew by this and appointed the new guys...Randy Bullis' firm.

Surprise in Old Business...Doan moved to bid out the remaining District routes. Meg and mnarino talked about how these continual surprises were a bad way to do board business. Marty stalled for 3 days by adding this to the agenda for the Thursday's meeting (which is now at the High School) on capital projects.

At the beginnning public be heard, three speakers D Boyle. G Mcee and a third CARE supporter attacked the board for not choosing redistricting instead of committing to $5 million for Bennett improvements. Even though this was not an agenda item, Marty let them talk, and they all well exceeded two minutes...More of the usual... They claimed there had been no needs established before hiring ythe architects...bald faced lies and I caleld them that at the P Be Heard at the end of the meeting.

I'm really angry at the climate that goes on and on...I think we need to stop bullshitting around and call it what it is..Bullying, Extreme Hostility and plain Bad Board Behavior... Enough is enough.

Meg called for the board to pay some attention to bullying in the schools, Doan agreed (!) and then went on to ask for a special meeting to talk about Discipline...He wants more rules!

It seems that the Board has no credibility to talk about bullying, when they are the biggest bullies in the school-yard.

Can't we get anyone to wake up out there? If not, it's all over for five year at least!

Pissed me off. Tobe

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001