The Webutuck Board of Education held their April 4, 2011 meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Webutuck High School Library.

 

The following Board members were present:

Dale Culver, President

Joanne Boyd

Joseph Herald

Joseph Matteo

William McGhee

John Perotti

Casey Swift

 

Also Present:

Steven D. Schoonmaker, Superintendent

Mary Grden, School Business Administrator

Therese Trotter, District Clerk

 

Absent:

 

CALL TO ORDER

President Culver called the business meeting of April 4, 2011 to order at 7:37 p.m.  

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

The following are comments made by audience members:

-Rumor of cutting French and other courses

-Why cut courses first and not administration

-Why French was singled out

-Excelled students would have to begin a new language

-Need courses for the variety of students found here

-Look at administration first

-Hear rumors don’t really know who is being looked at

-Grid showing languages offered in other districts

-Looked at reserves

-German has been wonderful for my college aged son

-Why didn’t you pick Spanish

-Is home and careers being cut completely or an option

-Student described her problems taking courses and being dyslexic

-Family and consumer science needs to have one person in-charge of that space

-Reducing a course to a .4 would be hard for someone to support their family

-Webutuck is a Regents school; disservice by offering one language w/ a regents and one without if you cut French

-Did Superintendent go into the classroom of the classes that are being suggested to cut.

-Can you guarantee that modified baseball won’t be taken out of the budget

-Audience member want five minutes in executive session

-Marathon project is a great choice for kids if they don’t want to join a sport

-Son is looking at coming to Webutuck, disappointed French and Technology might be cut

-Coaches need to know first aid

-If one language is cut, you are not listening to these parents

 

DISCUSSION

1.  2011-2012 Budget

The Chairman gave an update on the Finance Meeting – As it stand the budget is $20,050,447.00 which represents 1.36 % budget increase, the tax levy is .91 % with State Aid. 

 

The President will meet with the Teachers union tomorrow and see if they can help with the fiscal situation.  There was a question whether anyone reached out to the CSEA Union; the President stated a meeting will be held tomorrow with the Union.  The Board President discussed a concern he heard that if there were any concessions would that money go strictly to salaries.  The President and Board members agreed.  He suggested a possible MOA that would state clearly that any money would go back into salary line to save program.

 

Board member discussed the $300,000 in the bus reserve account that has been sitting there for a period of years.  What impact would there be if we moved that money into general fund through a voter proposition to fund these programs that are being suggested we cut?  The Business Manager stated that it would be a one-time fix; the District is already pulling $200,000 from reserves with other one-time fixes.  She also stated the Federal Jobs money will be going away next year. Discussion ensued.

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

1.  The Superintendent announced upcoming meetings:

-Finance Committee Meeting next Monday, April 11th 6:30 – 7:30 pm

-DLT meeting tomorrow night at 6:30 pm in HS library

-Science Night Wednesday of this week

-4-6 Grade parent meeting at 5:00 pm on Thursday for next year start and end times

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

The following are comments made by audience members:

-shared services

-has a 4 day school week been discussed

-hosting an Ace program and pulling in other student from other districts

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Mrs. Boyd made and Mr. Matteo seconded a motion to adjourn to executive session at 9:10 pm for the purpose of discussing the employment history of a particular person or persons.

Ayes    7          Nays    0          The motion carried.

 

 

RECONVENE PUBLIC SESSION

Mr. Herald made and Mrs. Swift seconded a motion to adjourn the executive session and to reconvene the public session at 9:59 pm. 

Ayes    7          Nays    0          The motion carried.

 

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, Mrs. Boyd made and Mr. Herald seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting of April 4, 2011 at 10:00 pm.

Ayes    7          Nays    0          The motion carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Therese M. Trotter

District Clerk