001[laughter] Good evening everyone and welcome to our Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 board of education meeting. At this time, we would ask you to please rise as Katie leads us in the pledge. Thank you very much. Do we have any changes to our meeting agenda? >> We just have one change, item 6A, school news. We're going to postpone that to the next uh meeting. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you so much. in which case we'll go right to Katie Erso for our student representative report. >> Good evening everyone. I'm excited to share a couple updates that's been happening at Warmville High School. First, we recently had our first remote day this year due to the snowstorm that took place over the weekend. And I'm glad to report that it ran really smoothly thanks to the collaboration between
002the student staff and the administration. students were able to successfully follow their schedules and we were able to remain engaged in the course coursework throughout the day. Um, another thing is that our senior trip plan our senior trip is underway and all the seniors are looking forward to this memorable event as we prepare to leave next Tuesday. We are also pleased to announce that our local scholarship process has begun and that this is an important opportunity for our seniors as we encourage all eligible students to apply. And the deadline is February 27th at 2 p.m. and all of the information for this can be found on the guidance Google classroom. Um, we are also proud to share that Warren Mobile seniors Maria Gvali and Wendy Tong were selected for the Hexure Museum prestigious student exhibition
003at the Hexure Museum of Art. This recognition highlights the incredible artistic talent within our school community. Additionally, we're mobile students earned top honors in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a highly competitive national program presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. We are extremely proud of our students for this outstanding achievement. We also recently hosted the three village career fair which was a great experience and provided students with valuable opportunities to connect with professionals across a variety of career fields. We had a great turnout this year and this event has continued to be an important experience for career exploration in future planning. Worm Mobile also had a fun time celebrating PS I Love You Day last Friday where students were greeted at the entrances and participated in activities in the commons that promoted
004mental health awareness, kindness, and community connection. On February 13th, the diversity club hosted a wonderful Lunar New Year celebration for students, staff, and community members where they gathered in the high school cafeteria to welcome the year of the firehorse. Attendees explored interactive and educational blue booths organized by several warm level clubs, enjoyed delicious cuisine, and watched special performances in the auditorium. It was engaging and meaning in a meaningful event that continues to grow each year. Finally, we are looking forward to this Friday's Word Mobile High School's Got Talent, which will showcase incredible talents of our students and bring our community together for a fun and spirited evening. There will be one winner with a prize, and we are super excited to host this event again. Thank you and always we appreciate your support. [applause] >>
005Thank you so much, Katie. All right, that will bring us to item 7A, a discussion of our budget. Mr. Carlson. >> Uh, thank you. Uh, what I'd like to uh discuss uh tonight is our tax cap calculation for next year as well as uh in regard to that, get a little bit of direction uh from the board. uh not locking you into anything. You're not committing to anything tonight. Just some direction. Uh so when when we do the tax cap calculation, as you know, there's a number of factors that go into determining what the tax cap is each year. Uh it's not always 2%. Um one of the factors is known as the levy growth factor, and that's the one that's tied to inflation. It can be less than 2% if the CPI consumer price
006index uh rate is less than two but it cannot be more than two. So as it has been for a number of years in a row now inflation is well over 2% but we're capped at the 2% for that for that piece. One of the other factors is known as a taxbased growth factor and that's to reflect any new construction that is in the district. It's determined by the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services. Varies from year to year and district to district and it can't be so it's a it can only be an increase to the tax cap. It can't be a decrease to the tax cap. So for in our case for next year it's a 1.19% increase to the tax cap. So what that means is even before we
007get to that 2% it's well for a tax cap calculation we're already at a 1.19%. Then we add the other factors into it which things like such as um building aid, debt service, pilot money, all of those kind of things. So when we add the the 2% of the that's the piece that's tied to inflation, we're limited to 2% because uh that's that's the part that's the cap. Uh it so we're already over 3% just with that. So now a couple of other factors uh are as I just mentioned building aid and debt service and capital projects. So our debt service is going down a little bit. So that lowers the tax account. Our building aid is decreasing by a little over a million dollars next year. Mainly because uh we're just not doing as
008many capital projects these days. Uh ever since 2021 when the budget failed, we're just not doing as as much as we we had been. So So what that means is if we kept everything in place, meaning capital at $1.5 million. Now remember a year ago we decreased our capital from the 2425 budget which had $3 million in capital. We decreased that to one a.5 million last year in order to bring the tax cap down some because the tax cap would have been more than 3%. So we brought that down. We lowered that to 1.5 million and that brought the tax cap to under 3% last year. So if we kept the same $1.5 million in the budget for next year's capital, it would make our tax cap 3.7%. So you have the 2% of the
009inflation tied piece that's limited to 2%. Plus the 1.19% in the taxbased growth factor. Those those are the two big numbers. uh you add on to that a little bit more for the the decrease in building aid and that's what brings us to the 3.7%. If and that's the the piece the single piece that's really the board has some control over how much goes into capital projects. So to give you an example, if we were to put our capital projects back to that $3 million that we had last year, that would mean the tax cap would go instead of 3.7% would bring it up to 4.54%. So what I'm really asking for from the board tonight is just some direction. You're not committing to anything. You're you're not committing to how much is in capital
010or anything else until you adopt the budget on April 15th. But I do have to submit to the comprollers's office by the end of this week all of our information for our tax cap calculation um and uh a projection of where we think we'll be. And that's the capital projects. Again, it doesn't lock you into anything. But before I just say, well, we'll keep capital where it is or I'll assume we're increasing capital. I just wanted to have a bit of a discussion with the board tonight um and see if you had any feelings as to to what I should put in there. Again, you're not committing to it, but something to uh think about and and discuss. So in consideration of the bond going down, uh there are major concerns for some projects in
011the district and the facilities committee prior to the uh executive session this this evening reviewed some of those concerns with our architect and the architectural firms engineers have reviewed. We have some desperate priorities that need to be addressed for next year which will cost in in the range of the $3 million uh depending on how much the board wishes to accomplish. major priority right now is the Satake Koopa which is in the worst shape of all the Koopas in all the buildings. Um that has to be addressed and the machinery at the pool if that that also needs to be addressed immediately uh for next year. the if the pool goes down, the the swim team has to be moved out to somewhere else, which will increase costs for contractual services because we'll have to
012rent the space and the uh our community swim program will have to be discontinued into until the pool is prepared. So, that's a major factor for us to be able to look at. There are Koopas and gutters in some of our buildings that need to be addressed as well if there's extra monies to be had out of this. Murphy's being one of them, Mount as well. uh gutters and koopas at at uh two of the other schools uh to be addressed. Um this year's money, the $ 1.5 million has solely gone into the mitigation issues for NASA keg. So that money has been spent uh and trying and doing some of the things for the buildings there, that building there. So as Jeff said, we're looking for guidance from the board. We understand that the
013community needs to be uh conscious of, you know, what the their tax rate increase may be. Uh but at the same time with that bond going down the law of unintended consequences are now we have to start to plot some of these things into the budget uh as we move forward. >> Okay. So we open it up for for discussion. What are what are everybody's thoughts? >> Well, I sat on the facilities committee this evening and I and John gave a nice good presentation on the needs of the district and I would definitely say we need to really look at the pool. Um it's a community and it's our students. So I mean we can't have our students uh you know unsafe. Um and secondly yes I do believe that the structures of the uh
014koopalas in all of the buildings need to be uh worked on. >> I I agree with you Vinnie. Uh uh it's very very important that the structures of the buildings remain safe because um John our architects was surprised that the Koopa didn't collapse in all the winds that were had just had in the winding outside from from the blizzard. So that thing must get done and the pool also has to get done because we have a lot of people a lot of our students and uh pe residents who use it. So those things are primary and they have to be done. So one of the things um John also mentioned around the specifically to the pool is that the equipment the pool the equipment for the water filtration systems and the systems that maintain it
015are degrading as well as the dehumidification systems tied to that pool. Right? So if we decided not to do it let's say it's not just a question of not doing that repair and retaining the program. there'd be a cost to sending our students out, but I suspect that structural damage to the actual building would continue to happen if those units are not repaired, right? They they're already indicating damage from humidity to the bleachers. He's he's saying that's the case already. I suspect if this was not repaired, we'd be looking at a different capital project to either close the pool or do something more drastic if we didn't want more structural damage to continue. I think it's something that needs to be prioritized for the capital capital projects. >> Is there a way that we could
016break out when we're discussing the budget, our operating budget and our capital um funds project. So we could show that, you know, we're working all of on we're working on this for our operating budget, right? Well, that's where our, you know, salaries are and our programs and everything else. And then we're talking about fixing these items in our capital line, right? Can we break that out to show people that we need to increase the capital by $3 million, so this is why it's going up x amount of dollars. Well, we are saving and, you know, revamping some things on our operating line to show them that we are being fiscally responsible, but because the bond went down, we need to do these projects. And this is why the um percentage is going up. >> Absolutely.
017Sure. And you know probably a lot of you heard the same thing uh that that some of us heard um in in regard to the bond is well you should do this through the budget. Well, okay, but that means increasing capital though, too. Um >> which increases the tax cap. >> Yeah, exactly. And that and that's really where I'm I'm I'm looking to get a little little bit of direction from the board tonight when I submit the information to the comproller. Would you be leaning towards the one a.5 million increasing it some to whether it be 2 million or two $2 million or all the way to the 3 million where we had last year? Again, not committing to it. Doesn't lock you into it, but just some where I so when I send the
018information in, it's just not some number I made. And so that means so everyone is clear here at the board and those watching at home as well, we are still within the tax cap, right? So we're not exceeding the tax cap. We're not going above the tax cap, but this perception in the New York state in general is the tax cap's at 2%. >> Not not entirely. It's it can go above as you've said before or below that. And and this because of these other factors increases our cap where we are. >> Exactly. So over the years uh since 2012 when the cap tax cap uh began there have been years where our tax cap was over 4%. And there are years where it's been much lower than 2%. Uh in in 2021 for example
019when we went above the tax cap when it failed that proposed budget the tax levy which was above the cap was 1.85%. So it was still below 2%. But it was above the cap because inflation was so low that year and because the whole world shut down. Um so and and that failed that required the 60%. But there are other years where we've had tax increases of three and 4% somewhat and it still be within the tax cap. And that's that's where we're looking for this coming up year. Again, keeping capital where it is at 1.5 million, the tax cap is 3.7%. And would require the 50% plus one uh of voters to vote yes in order for it to pass. If we went back to the 3 million where we were last year, it
020would raise that from 3.7% to 4.54%. So, that's where the board has some discretion as to what how much to put in capital. uh or it doesn't have to be one of those two numbers. It could be anywhere in between. So, so and and to put it in perspective like what does that mean with projects? Well, if we did this to talk at Koopa and the pool. So, the pool would be the machinery room, the starting blocks, the diving board, and the bleachers. Um that if we just did the one and a half million, those are the projects we could do next year. Um hopefully nothing else happens in the meantime. Um, if we raise that to 2 million or two and a half million or three million, then we could pick one or two
021of the other buildings to to do some additional work on whether it be Koopalas or something. Probably it would be Koopalas. >> I think for me it's kind of hard because when we [clears throat] organized everything for the bond, we had a whole map, right? We had a whole map of what are the pressing needs of our structures? What are the pressing needs of our district? And in theory, if it had passed, right, everything would have gotten taken care of at an appropriate time. Well, now now we're in the parsing apart and triaging, which I think is hard. I mean, I'll speak for me, it's hard for me. So, I'll take, you know, I'll take you at your word. If you feel like those are the most pressing things, then those are the most pressing
022things. But honestly, I expected to sit down at the table tonight and have the number be much larger than that because if we were talking about a bond of that size and you're parsing it apart over the next, let's say, 10 years just to get the work done before more crises ensue. Um, you know, I would have thought it would be much larger number than than 3 million. Um, so >> we could make it certainly could be [laughter] >> and the the needs are there and and really I mean we're we're thinking well well probably the most we could expect the board to support would be somewhere around that $3 million which is now is now brings the tax cap to 4.54%. So that's that's pretty high. So to go more than that I I
023I we didn't even think there would be >> un I totally understand but I think I think >> not that we don't need it but >> no totally understand but I think then the the yman's work here is >> educating what that means right the 4.5 that's a big number to see on your tax bill so we're going to have to do a large piece of education that you know again this is capital it is outside >> um this is what you wanted community and you you didn't want this to be in a bond you wanted this to be in the budget here it is and this is what it looks like >> well I think I think we need to be careful with uh part of this is that I don't think the community
024necessarily doesn't want the bond. They may not have wanted that amount for the bond. So I think that's arguable that what what is really those projects are still needed and we're still working on the prioritizations of those projects. Our proposal would be to reput out the bond again at a different number than we initially went out with um for October um not May when the budget vote is occurring. That would be our proposal. But uh we need time to to to sit with that entire list and do that. Right now because of the need pressing today because of what Jeff has to submit to the controllers's office, we need a direction from the board a consensus of where do you want to fall? Certainly, if the board wants to go to $5 million in capital
025projects, I mean, that's a that's a large increase in the one and a half million uh and would certainly take the cap much higher than than where it would be right now with the at the maximum of 4.54%. Um, we certainly could do that, but u that's not then if we look at that and say, okay, we're going to take then we're going to take the bond and sparse it disperse it out over this period of time. That would not be the logical pattern. we putting the bond up in a different fashion with a lower amount perhaps even still two propositions as well taking out some of the things that people felt that were unnecessary um not that I agree with that statement but and put more into the maintenance budget as well which going
026back to Karen's piece it's sparse you know breaking that piece out [clears throat] um the the maintenance budget is in the cap so that that does affect the budget so the capital project is outside of the cap. And one more thing to remind everyone again, those watching at home and anyone that's going to watch this recording, we get 66% of that money back. So if it's $3 million, $2 million of that plus is coming back to the district. So you know, that's that we have to and that includes the interests as well for anything. So >> but not next year over 15 years over the 15 years. >> Right. So I think that that's something everybody needs to understand. Like when we were presenting the bond, we were parsing the bond out over 15 years
027the payments as well as getting that 66% back. Correct. Why it was only 250 a household. >> If we are doing $3 million, $1.5 million, you know, $5 million, that money, that's 66% is not coming back the first year. We're getting 115th of that over. >> Right. >> Correct. >> The next. So $3 million might still be I mean I don't know how much it's going to be but it could be pretty close to that amount that we said for the but for the bond. Right. >> Or more. >> Yeah. Sure. >> Right. So I think when we start presenting we need to make that perfectly clear is that if people wanted it in the yearly budget this is what it costs because now we are not getting that money back. We're not spending that
028money over 15 years and getting it back over the same time. we're spending it and then waiting 15 years, you know, 115th to get the money back. >> So, how about I do this? Rephrase my question. [laughter] >> Would the board be okay, Again, you're not committing to it. You're not saying not giving final authorization for that only comes when you adopt the budget on April 15th. Would the board be okay with me submitting to the comprollers's office, assuming we're going up to 3 million in capital, which would mean a tax cap of 4.54%. Or would you prefer I put 2 million in capital, which means the tax cap is 3.98%. Not committing to it, just giving me direction now because I have to file that by the end of the week. >> Myself, I
029I think it needs to be at least 3 million. >> I agree. Put it in there. And I mean again for everybody watching at home, we're not putting that in stone. We can change that. This is just a starting point to figure out what we're doing for everything else. >> All right. I have a question too. So uh Jeff, I just had a question on the mechanism though. >> Sorry, no more questions. [laughter] >> I'm kidding. I'm kidding. So when we get the let's say we do the capital and we get state aid over 15 years the effect of that state aid is it's going to lower the tax cap for the next 15 years because we're receiving more building aid. So people's taxes will be low slightly lower. Is that correct? >> Yes. >>
030Okay. >> Um yeah it doesn't mean people's tax bill will go down. Um but but you're you're right though. Yes. Because as that building aid comes in, so what it does is it so so what a common question I get is oh so when that building aid comes in is it restricted as to how we use it and the answer is no. However, what it does as Dr. B just mentioned it lowers the tax cap. So dollar for dollar. So, let's say everything else stayed the same and we did a capital project now this year and we're going to get an additional $200,000 in building aid next year because of it. So, whatever the tax cap would have been next year, it's going to be $200,000 lower because we got that extra building aid in.
031So, so the answer is n the money is not restricted to how we use it, but it lowers the cap. So, it's not additional money that we get in. So, so that's a very good point that Dr. uh back brought up and um so it's so it does lower the the cap in now for the for the 15 years that we're getting that building a Yes. >> Okay. Quick question. I think several of our buildings have the walkway issues with tripping hazards. So, would the 1.5 million or 3 million cover that or it's it's totally out of the question already? Uh well the the 1.5 would one I I think our our two biggest priorities as as we had discussed uh at the facilities committee tonight the two biggest priorities is the Sattor Koopa and
032the the pool the pump room this the and it's not just a an aesthetic thing with the pool. It's the the the bleachers. I mean if you were to go anyone wants to go down we we can show you. Um there's so much humidity in there. They rust. uh the the [clears throat] um the um the diving platforms absolutely need to be replaced. Uh the diving board needs to be replaced and the starting blocks. So that's that's our first priority and that those projects the Stor Koopla and the uh pool would take pretty much up that whole $1.5 million. But at 3 million now we could start looking at some other projects and then exactly what we could and and that might be some of that some especially where there's like tripping hazards and that
033kind of thing. Now keep in mind probably our worst parking lot that we have of all right now is NASA keg uh and that's being that's included in the current year's capital project. So we just recently got approval from the state department on that. So that work will be done this this summer on on NASA cake. Uh but that's that's a that's another one too. That's a that's a that's a an important area for us to to address. It's not just oh there's a crack in this sidewalk and we can fix that. It's when entire sidewalks are curving have to be replaced when it starts to cost a lot of money and then it becomes a capital project. So that certainly can be considered. So, we're not locking into what that 3 million would be
034spent on right now. And that that would be a consideration, too. >> And and kudos to our maintenance and operations department because they've actually gone out. Some of the major tripping hazards are being addressed piece by piece in the district. We had one at the high school where it was that had to be addressed earlier this year right by the the bus uh drop off and pickup. So, you know, we can mitigate some of those, but to do it all at once would have to take much larger sum of money. And I just wanted to clarify um for the Koopa, it's a talk it um because people are going to say just take the Koopa down. Even if we did that, which I don't think any of us want to do, we still need to
035fix the roof. So, it probably wouldn't cost any less, >> right? It would basically cost marginally >> and I would not make that announcement to any of the historical societies near [laughter] just on the record, Karen roughly said that she heard that we do not want to >> I said I was not in favor. >> No, I hear you. Good. [laughter] So, so keep in mind any any work that we do to the Koopas now, uh, the they're old. Satis is over 70 years old. So, it's not like, oh, we do it now, we'll have to do it again in 15 years. No, when it gets done now, it's and it's not going to it's going to be done with some sort of composite material, something that lasts even longer than the original wood. So,
036um, I would venture to say that we'll all be long gone before that work needs to be done again on on any of those Koopas. It will last a long time. >> Okay. Any other questions for Mr. Carlson before we call roll here? >> Okay. So, working with the the 3 million which would be a 4.54% increase. Show of hands in favor. >> Okay. All right. There you go. >> Okay. That's our working number. >> That is our working number. Non-committal. All right. Thank you so much. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Okay. Well, that takes us to our public comments. Do we have anyone for public comments? >> No submissions. >> Okay. Thank you. So we will move on to our consent agenda. Do I see a motion >> and a second? >> Second. >>
037Okay. So beginning with B, Miss Dano, >> the other minutes from February 4th, Board of Education meeting. >> Thank you. And beginning with C, Mr. Carlson. >> Item C is uh donations. We have one donation. It's a check for $500 from the Interdist Council of Superintendent of the uh Suffach County School Superintendent uh in recognition of Dr. Scandan's uh service to that organization. Uh we have uh declaration of surplus equipment. Very nice. Thank you. Um uh declaration of IT equipment. It's all um passed its usable life and any usable parts have been stripped uh from them. Uh then we have E items E, F, G, H, and I are our monthly financial reports for October, November, and December. These were reviewed earlier this evening by the uh finance committee. >> I mean the audit committee,
038I'm sorry. >> Thank you so much. Any questions about any of those items? >> Okay. Uh J, recommendations of the committee on special education subcommittee and 504 accommodation plan meetings as dated. K. recommendations of the committee on preschool special education meetings as dated and beginning with L we go to Dr. Dresky. >> L is the memorandum of agreement between three v three village central school district and the three village childc care unit uh with a contract now that extends from 7124 to 63028. Uh M personnel items instructional. Uh we have several. We have um one teaching assistant instructional retirement, two instructional resignations, six instructional leave of absences, leave leaves of absence, uh one instructional sub appointment, appointment of middle school winter coach, and several middle school spring coaches. Um four annual extra assignments in the
039form of SAT prep and several hourly extra assignments for the 2526 school year. Um, and personal items non-instructional, we have two non-instructional resignations, two non-instructional appointments, um, and three non-instructional substitute appointments. >> Thank you so much. And that being said, are we all in favor of the motions inside of our consent agenda? No opposed, no abstensions. That carries. Do we see a motion to adjurnn? Move. Second. All in favor. All right. Thank you so much, everybody. Have a good night.