001This is a special presentation from the Brighton Central School District Board of Education. >> Good evening. Welcome to the Brighton Central School District Board of Education business meeting for Tuesday, September 9th. This meeting is called to order. As is our case with all of our public meetings, we provide the opportunity for public participation. Um, we ask that you come and uh go to the podium. I know it's Mary so like I can say hi Mary but um we'll ask you to come to the podium uh give your name and just the town you live in and um then go ahead. >> U Mary Misner I live here in Brighton and I am very appreciative I was standing here about this time last year and brought forward to you consideration of the senior exemption and so
002I'm happy to see it's on the agenda irregardless. So, whatever you decided, um I'm just happy that you responded so um actively to a request from just one senior in the community. So, thank you for your consideration. >> I'll just I'll quickly respond and say we appreciate the note. As I told you at the time last year, I didn't even understand the senior tax exemption. So, you brought education to all of us. Um we put a lot of thought into this and we're going to hear from the deputy superintendent, get some information. So appreciate you taking the time and wish more people would get more involved in in the way that you have to let us know and ask questions. So thank you very much for being here tonight. >> Thank you again. >> Yep.
003>> Anybody else? Principal tapen. No. Okay. Next up, you all have received the agenda in advance and the amended copy. Um any questions, edits, or changes to that agenda? >> Motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Moved by Susan. >> Seconded by Karen. All those in favor? >> I >> also ask for approval of the minutes from our August 20th business meeting. I happen to miss this one, but I'll ask for approval of the minutes. I'm sorry. First, any changes, edits, or comments with regards to those minutes, you've received those already. >> Motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Moved by Carrie Lynn. >> Seconded by Esther. All those in favor? >> We're up for our first set of reports for the year. and I am excited to have Samantha here as our student rep
004for her first meeting. >> Um, all students had their first days of classes on September 2nd. Um, in the truck rodeo also occurred after the first day of school for all grade levels. The new phone policy is in effect and seems to be successful with students disconnecting with their phones and connecting with others. Picture day was on the fourth and fifth last week. DHS had their first fire drill on September 8th and will continue to have emergency drills over the next few weeks. All sports fall sports have begun and are starting games. Football, girls soccer, and boys soccer all had games that resulted in ms. Girls swimming and diving had an invitational meet with diver Alyssa Helman placing first and qualifying for states. Upcoming BHS open house will be on Thursday, September 11th. This week
005on Thursday, homecoming pep rally will be on Thursday, September 18th next week. And the homecoming parade, football game, and dance will be on Saturday, September 20th. >> Um, can I just ask one question? Your your friends and colleagues and classmates, any feedback beyond what you said with regards to the cell phone policy? A lot of us adults are just wondering. >> Um, I think people like don't hate it. as much as they thought. It's just sometimes a little inconvenient with like needing to like take a picture of something or like use your phone to like scan like a QR code that your teachers like sometimes give, >> but like it's not like that bad because like none of us have it so we're not missing out on anything. >> Those are the pieces though I
006hadn't thought about like we have a lot of posters around the high school with QR codes to get more information about the meetings. That's become >> just sort of a de facto way we get information. My my neighbor's a freshman and she talked about how she forgot to print her schedule >> so she didn't have anything to look at it on. Like her sister said, "Oh, just use your phone." Her older sister who wasn't in school anymore, just those pieces we have to rethink, right? Interesting. Thank you. >> Great job on your debut and thank you for that additional feedback. Appreciate it. >> Yeah. And thanks for the students for their flexibility and open-mindedness because this was a big change and you know it it sounded really scary and I think that they've the students
007have really come through and shown us all that like we can make we can make changes like this and we can adapt especially with your feedback right things to think about. Awesome. >> We talked about this earlier but I'll just say it again. It bears repeating that kids handled it not surprising to a lot of people better than sometimes people would give them credit for expect. >> I thought that students be the best at it and uh it's been great. I think you've done really well. So, thanks. >> Uh next up are our board of education reports. The um board of education, the Monro County School Board Association committees that are out there and I think Dr. Lee who for all of us coordinates who's on what committee, team curriculum review. Um we'll sort of
008do a quick overview. Uh district operations isn't for another week. I know that because I'm on that one. I think that's the case for all of these coming up. I'll ask you to just a couple of words on that. >> Yeah. Oh, you already >> Yeah. I just wanted to um tell everyone that this board is often very busy and we try to um be as um present as we can on different committees both in the district um in the county and actually in the state as well. So, we actually are participating in 22 different committees this year. and and we have worked it out because so many of us work both inside the home and outside the home that we take turns or we have sort of a tier system. So if we can't
009make a meeting, one of our fellow board members can can make a meeting which I think has worked out quite well. Um we serve on the New York State School Board Association, Monroe County School Board Association on several committees. Um the district committees include audit committee, uh curriculum council, the bright and beliefs committee, uh safety. Um we also do program evaluations every year and so we try to sit on um program evaluations and also hiring committees as a board member. So, um, I think it has kept us busy, but it has really helped all of us learn about how to be a better and effective schoolboard member in the state. So, >> that good. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. As I said, district ops is coming up in next week or the following week,
010but I'll be at that one. Information exchange is that >> information exchange is tomorrow at 400 pm. >> Okay. and legislative committee met last week and as well as had several meetings over the summer. >> Um I want to acknowledge you Karen because you've taken on an additional leadership role. Can you talk about that for just a second? >> So I'm uh vice president of the Monro County School Board Association and as a reminder to our community, the Monro County School Board Association is a professional development organization for schoolboard members. We have a particularly active association uh within the context of the state. Um it's incredibly well regarded. Um and we provide um mandated trainings for new schoolboard members, financial training and governance training and then provide many through our standing committees which are information
011exchange, district operations and legislative committee. Um provide professional development. Um, we have a legislative agenda. Uh, we use that to educate our locals on what legislative issues affect schools and some of the changes we might be looking for. Um, and then things like a law conference both provide continuing education for our local legal experts, uh, but then also legal education for schoolboard members. >> Lots of lots of good stuff happening. >> Uh, thank you for your time on that. Um, Boseies is up next and uh, as as was the case last year, it's this year. We're very fortunate that Marco Okconovich, our former board member and actually board president as well, is our representative to the Boseis board. Um, they're doing a lot of their startup in August and September like we are, but I'll
012give you just a quick summary from what Mark sent as an update. Their reorg meeting was held on July uh July 9th and their board of ed elected uh Tom Nespeka from Webster to serve as president and Kim McCcluskey from Pittsver as vice president for their board. They had a public hearing for their district-wide safety plan. What you all did on the 20th on uh their case it was the 14th. Um first and second readings on the new policy covering student internet enabled device use during the school day. Uh a lot of this sounds familiar I realize. And uh they've also been assigned to standing district committees and um each has a board of ed leaison to a district school or program. Um and Mark as he does every year offered to host a tour
013for us as a board for their facility over at Fairport of Beard Road or a number of the other facilities if we can get it scheduled. And I'll talk to Kim about that opportunity. Some of you have been on that. Um, some of you might not have been and we'll see what we can figure out with that and I'll work with Kim on that. So, that's the Bose's update >> and Monrocey's one has a new superintendent so it would be nice for us to we met her in the context of our other tours, Kathy Aubber, but it would be nice to meet her there as well. >> That's a great idea. >> Kathy is also going to schedule time to come here actually and present at a board meeting. >> Um, she worked with us
014the other day on that, but uh we'll be reaching out to schedule probably within the next two months or so. and then you can let me know, but she's willing to just say hi and introduce herself or present on anything that you'd like her to relative to the >> um we say this every time we go there. The the programs that run at Boseies are just simply amazing. The number of connections they're making with students at with those students at their place is just amazing and uh grateful for the work that they do. other board member reports. Um if there is anything to report, I'll start with Clayton and just sort of work this way. If there's anything anybody else wants to update, Clayton. >> No, I just really appreciate um the approach uh towards
015committee membership as a new board member. I appreciate the way you all work through them. Um bring the feedback back and I look forward to serving on some of these committees. So, thank you. >> And it was probably done in August when I wasn't here, but we welcome Clayton who won his election and excited to work with you and have you learn with us as as we go throughout the year. >> Ken, >> I attended um our program review for library K through 12. Um we met in mid August where we reviewed the we do a program review every five years of every program that we have in our district. Um so we reviewed the the latter uh program review from 2020. We looked at their findings and their recommendations and from there we start
016scaffolding how we want to approach the program review. So that is it for today. >> Is it interesting to do that? Did you ever sit on one when you were a teacher here? So is it interesting to see it from that different perspective? Is it different for you? >> It's fun to see it and just to hear, you know, what's happening in all the different buildings and um gathering the feedback and really seeing what people need for our programs, you know, what we're doing well, what we should be um changing and you know, being on this side of things. So yeah, it's fun to be back in that kind of role. Uh nothing to report right now. Uh the committees that I'm a part of are starting their meetings in uh October. >> Uh one
017last Monarch County School Board Association piece legislative committee had a number of appointments over the summer. So we were able to meet with um Representative Jensen on the west side. Dean Meeks, he represents mostly the city. We met with Sarah Clark. We met with rep the Fingerlakes representative for the governor's office. um most of us most of them had questions for us about how the cell phone issue was going to work. So we spent a lot of time talking about that and electric school buses. >> Thank you. You know, I think for us, Esther, it might have slipped her mind, but you know, Esther, Karen, Larry, and I, we attended the urban suburban welcome back, >> which was a wonderful event where we were um present. A student spoke and we welcomed new students um
018you know, as part of our Bruins family, which was really wonderful. And I think opening day as well that I was unable to attend, but that was also wonderful with some musicians. And Esther, I think you were in attendance. Yes. Opening day. >> Yes, it was a wonderful day. Um, just the positive energy. Everyone was raring to go and from what I'm hearing from all of you, everything's going well. So, that's really good. >> Good kickoff. Yeah. Yep. >> The superintendent may or may not have involved a couple of Buffalo Bills in that whole thing, but but I'm sure he'll talk about that when it rolls when it rolls around to him. Um on for me I met with the um New York State School Board Association's DEI committee and um every summer actually we
019go through resolutions that are presented to the state um and we go through it with a DEI lens and actually sort of um grapple with some wording uh and we give suggestions that hopefully that they that they will that the New York State School Board Association will take to the >> and They typically highlight which resolutions proposed have been have that stamp of approval from from the DEI committee that's in the in the booklet they produce for members >> which is coming you want >> so speak speaking of I had forgotten about that um this business meeting asks for a representative from every school board to vote on behalf of their board on the proposed resolutions which set sets their legislative agenda >> statewide yes >> statewide um I've done that for the past two
020years used to do it. It's kind of a heavy lift. It's only one night, but the meeting has lasted anywhere from four to seven hours on Zoom. >> I can't do it this year. >> Um, and I'm one of these wondering if anyone thinks they have the time. It's October 14th, right? >> October 16th at four o'clock. >> 16th at four o'clock. Now, Larry had said he might be interested. >> Um, it fascinating opportunity even to do it just once because you Yeah, >> you get a sense that, you know, we have a lot of school boards in New York State. They don't all operate the way we do or the way folks generally do in Monroe County. And that's just an interesting educational opportunity >> in and of itself. Um, so if anybody else
021would like to take that on this year, it won't be the end of the world if if we don't have someone there, but if somebody would like to take my place this year, I promise I will do it next year. If someone wants to take it as a learning opportunity, please do so. Otherwise, I can probably >> make sure resolutions as well. >> Yep. It's a really important process, I think, for us as New York State schoolboard members to read these resolutions >> um be able to vote on them as they're presented to the state. >> Thank you. Yeah, >> I'll just quickly report because I sit on construction and as most people know uh con a lot of construction takes place in in July and August pretty much was the last student is leaving
022the school at the very end of June. Construction crews are going in. There's work going on in a ton of schools and anybody going by those schools would have seen it. Certainly Dr. McGawan will mention it in his comments, but um there's a lot going on. grateful for the teachers and the staff and the principles who sort of accommodate people trying to finish up the day before and in some cases the morning of school starting. Um so many things look so great and there are a number of things that look unfinished because they are in fact unfinished and continuing to be worked but um we're trying to create the best possible learning spaces and it's sometimes dusty on the road to get there. So, uh, grateful for the crews as we always do, thankful for
023John Devel, the entire buildings and grounds team for the way they shepherd construction, but also clean up and get rooms ready for our staff. So, just greatly, uh, thankful for those folks. So, um, literally something going on in every school and in literally every school, lots of things going on. So, grateful for those teams. >> With that, Nicole has left us after two or three years of faithful and great service. and we are happy to have Kristen Hakin here to take over and tell us what's going on from a staff perspective at PTA. >> So, I love to um share all the good things that we're doing in our schools. I'm going to start with Council Rock. Um over the summer, uh the library received a new shelf from St. John Fiser Buildings and Grounds
024picked it up and assembled it for them. So, they wanted to be sure they got a little shout out. Um, and they have a collection of everywhere languages that they put in the front center of their story area. They're still cataloging books to add to that collection, but they're happy to have a bigger home for it. Um, behind the shelves, they've got a world map, they've got a globe, and they hope to incorporate sort of all of that into their theme of it's a big be beautiful world out there. At French Road, um, Mrs. Harp, technology education, reported that her room has a new look and a new curriculum focus this year. Um, she'll be teaching Tech 7 at TCMS in the mornings and then heading back over to French Road where she's working with
025the instructional leadership team um to concentrate on digital citizenship, keyboarding, and iPad use. and students might also do some invention and STEM building activities as well um related to ELA themes. At TCMS, the eighth grade English students are going to be reflecting on who they are as readers as they select um independent reading books to start the year. And they're also going to read a text by Jason Reynolds titled 10 Things You Should Know, which was the piece he wrote for teens. And then each of the students are going to identify an audience to write a letter to, including 10 things they think they should know. Um, considering the impact of tone and diction. Um, we have new leadership at TCMS strong this year, Katie Lambert and Katie Cance. Um, the dynamic duo have partnered
026up and they did a really great job with sixth grade orientation and then new student orientation for our seventh and eighth graders. Um, they were leading tours through the school, making sure kids could open lockers. They put great signage up around the building to help kids from getting lost, signs for how to open a combination lock. Um, so they're feeling very proud of their new student leaders in TCMS strong. Um, this was the ninth summer in a row that 10 Brighton students have received a full scholarship for two weeks of camp up at Camp Borum in the Aderondex. Um funding is provided by the Lori and Larry Davis II Family Scholarship Fund. Campers enjoy kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing. Um this year we had six new students attend and four returning. So smiles all around.
027Um in June, the TCMS ENL department held their moving up ceremony for eighth grade students. um a tradition that they've had for the last four years when they realize families sometimes move out of district and the kids don't end up graduating from high school together. So, we wanted to kind of recognize their time ending at the middle school before we sent them up to the high school. Um at Brighton High School, Laura Hernandez in the um in June shared a lesson that she did with the Spanish 4 age students. They participated in a cooking class, learning to prepare authentic Spanish and Latin American dishes while speaking and listening in Spanish and then shared the meal that they prepared with students in the functional skills program where they taught bas basic Spanish phrases and some meal
028taking expressions while eating Spanish and Latin food together. So she said one pro. So lots of pictures. There's a little video in your report. You can see in action. Um, in June, Fashion Club held their second annual fashion show led by student leaders Marta Ross and Louisa Brooks. And we had more than two dozen models um, strutting the runway, which happened to be the front hall um, at the high school. They weren't sure how it would work out, but in the end, they loved the venue and will probably do it again there next summer. So, they meet every Thursday in the maker space if you want to pop in to see what they're up to. Lovely. Your debut was also excellent. Thank you for taking the time. >> Big shoes to fill for. >> Yes,
029I was very nervous. >> Great job. Great job. >> Yeah, wonderful job. >> Uh PTSA wasn't able to be here tonight. We will acknowledge them for the food truck rodeo. There was a heck of a run on calendars there for a little bit and um everyone seemed to have picked them up. Uh ours Markets got them back, I know, and a couple others. So, our thanks to the PTSA for all the ways they made opening day and the start of school great, and we'll expect to get a report from them in October. >> Do they have a meeting this month? Did I miss it on the calendar? >> Uh, there is. Hold on. I believe >> it's okay. You I I'll catch that up later, but I looked on the calendar on my wall and
030I could not spot it. >> You know what? We'll hit it before we close so that it's out there because move it to the >> it's next Tuesday the 16th. >> It is. Okay. >> Uh so thank you. Uh just to reiterate, we had a really great start. So very brief report. We brought uh we had staff come in on August I think it was the 27th, right Kristen? The Wednesday before Labor Day weekend and a really really positive um feeling and tone and uh just a great vibe. And it really always is. It's very exciting when back. Um, we know it's hard for some people. They're ending, you know, a great summer and time with their family and friends, but also it's great to all be back together in that space and excited for
031the year to come and to start the journey together. We really focused a lot on and you mentioned the Bills, but that was a bit of a theme around the idea of having the right people, the right people in the right places playing the right position who are positive, who are supportive of each other, pick each other up off the turf, and really that whole idea around the culture, right? So, there's great talent, but it really is about the culture of each other and being there for each other and focusing on the needs of individual kids as as a group of MVPs. We did have some video clips with Ray Davis, Dan Dawkins, and then Dawson Knox and the community had the opportunity to hear from Dawson Knox, too. And and we want to just
032thank the Buffalo Bills for sending that along and being willing to partner with us in that and being very open to the idea of us having that conversation and trying to >> reflect on the great positive things that they've done organizationally. And this just isn't about an athletic Although we're big fans perhaps of that, it's more about recognizing in another organization excellence and where that's come from and how they've developed that over time and trying to just kind of replicate that or see that in ourselves as well and how that's happened to a lot of people. So, we're really excited about that and and those positive wishes of course were were great also. Um, as you mentioned, Larry, the construction happening everywhere is requiring some patience. But people have been great about recognizing the idea
033that uh if we're going to get the facilities to the standard of the excellence that happens in classrooms every day and what's expected in our community, it's going to require some patience with dust and debris and the kinds of things that happen when you're remodeling. And anybody that's gone through that at home knows that very, very well. We can't constrict all the work to two months over the summer or third shift or on the weekend. Just impossible then to actually get the work done in a timely and efficient manner. Uh but I will also say that as much as we um in a sense apologize for that and keep talking about it, it's pretty seamless actually most of the time for most people. Um so you know the middle school has some disruption with structural
034pieces in place and some remodeling of the fact suite and it is very significant. I'm not I don't want to the fact that it's disruptive to people, but kids and staff are really resilient, too. And once they're into the routine and doing their thing and in those four walls, for the most part, that works out really, really well. Same thing in the other buildings. And I will say that I think our staff, both our teaching staff, but our non-instructional staff that make it work, do a remarkable job of trying to smooth those edges out and accommodate what needs to happen. The priority is always on safety above all else. There's nothing that's ever a safety risk that's happening during the day. But the next step is to make sure that it's not interrupting instruction. And
035uh we do our very best to do that. People at the middle level, Kristen knows this well, had had two fire alarms and evacuations because of construction uh you know, triggering that alarm. We've resolved that. Those things are going to come up too. They can't continue to come up, but there's always a bump in the road that needs to be solved. And our staff, I think, does a really great job of that. So we're we're in good shape uh that way. So, I'd finish with a little bit of a a massaging of a quote. Uh, do good, be good, be blessed, go Bills, and go Bruins. Thank you. And thanks to Josh Allen. >> I'm gonna ask you one more question and only because I I heard some information this week. We're serving a couple
036more meals than we normally do. >> Thank you. So I was so intent on getting a quote right and then also say so we doubled the amount of meals right because of of universal uh free introduced lunch now for families or free lunch and breakfast and it was really really remarkable. So, we talked about this prior to the meeting, but I do want to say publicly the job done by our food service staff was really unbelievable to make that happen. And then our administrative staff and our support staff and our teaching staff to make sure that that could all be accommodated. But that was a huge lift and it happened. And it happened really, really well. But the other big lifts that happen, think about when you bring back to one environment, 42, 43, 100
037people all at once. You know, you're turning on a lot of machines that haven't been turned on in a while. You're activating systems that although we test them and we prepare and our people are great about that, that's a huge change to an environment all at once. A a switch goes off and all of a sudden it's there. Transportation worked out really well. buildings and grounds looked fantastic and accommodated all that construction, food service happened, construction happened, right? All of those things that requires a big big lift by a lot of people. So, just want to thank everybody for such a smooth open and you for pointing out the fact that I >> Thank you. >> Um, next up, um, when somebody asks about board service, I say get ready to talk about budgets a
038lot, virtually every meeting. So, we'll start this uh section out with the approval of the budget guidelines and the budget calendar as it sets the tone for the rest of the year at every meeting where we will be talking about the budget in some way, shape or form. >> Well, you slow talked that enough for me to get all the way around the table. So, thank you. Uh this is a very brief but it is kind of like the kickoff to the well the budget season that is all year long but it is our um point that we like to make right at the beginning of this process to say you know as the year starts really the budget process is happening all year long but you are establishing at this point in the year
039the guidelines for us to begin that work and the reason why we say that happens all year long is a budget for the following year and what we're proposing to the community is always based on the experience of the year that we're in that financial experience. Where can we be more efficient? Are we overbudget underbudget? We we can't go over budget overall, right? We need to be responsible in that and we are conservative in our budgeting to make sure that we're thoughtful about that. But in particular areas of the budget, there are unexpected expenses and then there are places where an expense may be less than expected and we balance that. We never run a deficit of course and we're very financially sound, but everything we're proposing is based on those experiences from the year
040before. when we get to that part of the process in the springtime, we talk about that that we're analyzing needs of students. We're analyzing our experience through the year. So, it's important to have these guideposts in mind as we begin uh that process. So, this year's budget guidelines that we're proposing to you are are very similar to previous years that I'll touch on briefly and then I want to hit the highlighted items and explain just a little bit more. The first is any short or long-term changes to the foundation aid formula we want to make sure that we're accommodating for. Right? We're always hopeful that there will be reform to that formula. We're especially hopeful that that reform will be beneficial to us in the district and our dynamics and we continue to advocate in
041that area. Karen's a big part of that. Uh but we do that in each of our groups as well, whether it's the superintendents or the school business officials and we want to make sure we understand that and are prepared for that. We also want to make sure that our budget is responsive to the continued pressures based on inflation, labor shortages, limited growth or reductions in state or federal aid. So basically headlines, right? What you see every day in the news anytime you see jobs numbers, anytime you see economic data, well that's us. That's the organization that you're overseeing that our community is a part of. So I want to make sure that we're prepared to respond to that. And then we of course want to make sure that our spending plan is reflective of our
042needs based on our strategic plan. We are a very strategically focused organization. If you want to know the work that's happening, look at that plan. It doesn't sit on a shelf and collect dust, couple nice pictures. It really is the heartbeat of what we do and drives the work each and every day. So we need to make sure the budget reflects that. Our budget is that numerical representation of our mission, vision, values, and our goals and objectives. Our four priority areas are are mental health and wellness, academic excellence, student family experience operations. Lots of detail online underneath the uh blueprint when you go to the district tab, go to blueprint, and people can see exactly what we're working on, when we're doing it, who's responsible for it. Well, the budget reflects that. And as we're
043planning next year's budget, we need to keep that in mind as well. Want to make sure we're considering the economic climate, the needs of our students. Of course, they change all the time. We have to be responsive to that and that we prioritize resources looking at how we can really optimize and be more efficient, be more effective in our work all of the time by looking at potential reductions, by looking at consolidation, knowing that every cost we incur, we're passing on to taxpayers. We want to make sure that we're doing that really thoughtfully and looking for the places we can be most efficient. And finally, we want to make sure that we're looking at all of the possible strategies around revenue and that we're compliant with the property tax cap, but also always understand the
044impact of the property tax cap on our long-term financial planning. Understand what it means to be compliant, understand what the options are and present those to you and then to the community as well to make sure again the long term is taken into account, not just one year. Any question about the guidelines specifically? Also included and posted online for people to take a look at. I know they're following this calendar like the home football schedule or the Major League Baseball schedule, but these are kind of the the touchstones or the important markers for you relative to uh what happens in the budget process. We do have a community forum on the 18th that's not necessarily budget based. The one in the spring has been at different times. We haven't announced a topic for that, but
045certainly people's experiences and what is happening in the district always become a part of that forum and they inform the budget process as well. budget requests uh and the local budget, right? The smaller pieces within the the district are submitted in January. We look at enrollment of course and our expenditures year to date in January. Also, what is being proposed at that point uh by the governor and our advocacy work is really taking place all of the time, but really picks up at that point. And then of course all of the different benchmarks within the spring are important leading to May 19th, 2026. We assume a Kuanas food truck rode will be a of that. So come by, have a meal and vote on that day, May 19th. First announcement was today in September. Any
046questions for all right, thanks everyone. >> Now I think we take a vote to approve. Yes. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um Kevin's just run Dr. McGallan, sorry, has just run through the budget guidelines and budget calendar. U none of you had any questions. I don't have any questions. So, I'm going to go ahead and offer a motion to approve the budget guidelines and budget calendar as just presented by Dr. McGowan. >> Moved by Susan. >> Seconded by Karen. All those in favor? >> Next up, we're going to do an overview of the senior exemption program. And again, I'll acknowledge Mary Meer in the audience who brought this to our attention last year and also Limo who's going to do the run through on the presentation for us. Good evening. So, this presentation is
047very similar to what we um provided to the board of education uh last October, but we've updated it with uh some updated data and just uh tried to revisit a certain certain number of the topics. So starting off with just um some important relationships and just going over the uh the definitions to kind of set the stage for what's in the board's control, what's under their influence. So starting with the tax levy, which is the budgeted expenditures, less state and local revenue. So that's the tax levy. It's usually measured against the tax cap, but that's what's in the board of education's um influence and authority. Certainly the budgeted expenditures are and then use of fund balance and reserves on the revenue side of it. Going down to looking at the results of the budget approved
048budget process. The board adopts the tax rate uh typically in late July, early August and that is computed by looking at the tax levy computed above here divided by the taxable assessed valuation of the district which is outside of the district's or outside of the board of education's control with the exception of certain uh exemptions. And then the tax bill when actually people are paying uh to the uh the tax bill collectors is the taxable assessed value uh divided by a thousand times the tax rate. And so the taxable assessed value is specific to that particular parcel. So that again is determined by the state and less the uh exemptions. So if your home is assessed at $200,000 and you have a $10,000 exemption, then the tax bill would be based on the $190,000. So
049as these exe exemptions increase or decrease that would have a resulting impact on the tax rate then so exemptions increase um then the school tax rate would also increase. >> Can I ask a question here? Do you mind? >> Oh I'm sorry. >> So the exemption we're discussing right now is proposed for um senior citizens correct? And then what other exemptions out there exist? I know that for that we um have approved one for volunteer firefighters outside of the district's control. What kind of exemptions exist? >> Um so this is the exemption types that are under the board that the board has authority to grant, >> but there are other exemptions out there. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. So So these are all the exemptions. >> We're skipping ahead >> little bit. >> So let me
050just I'll circle back to this. >> Great. Thank you. >> No, that's okay. Um what I wanted to just um elaborate on a little bit is once we have kind of the basic understanding of the definitions of what influences the actual tax bill. So the taxable assessed valuation is the assessed valuation the gross less any of the exemptions equates to the the tax bill and we know the relationship of exemptions has on the tax uh the tax rate which then influences the tax bill. So looking at the town of Brighton and the town of Pittsburgh that encompass the Brighton Central School District, we could see the trends over the last couple years and I've updated this past year because it's uh you'll see a decrease of 86%. And that as I investigated that decrease in
051the tax taxable assessed valuation of the district is the result of exemptions. I think to Mr. Hatch's point, you know, the state exemptions have increased. So that's driving down the overall tax base to be to spread out the tax bills over the the community. So that result this year um is a little abnormal. We've seen smaller decreases over the past, but generally stability in our tax base. Brighton is a pretty mature community. There's not a ton of commercial investment, but this year surprised me a little bit. Uh and it influenced our tax rate, you know. So our tax levy this year was 2.03%, 3% but our resulting tax bill was close to 2.8% because of this uh decrease in the uh tax base of the community. So that's we saw it firsthand this year the
052uh taxable evaluation drove up the tax rate and therefore the average tax bill would be increased as well. Any questions on that or the relationships? So these are the different exemption types that the board has authority to influence or to make changes to and this is our exemption profile of the district. So I apologize this is a little bit small but these areas are not forprofit um commercial uh school district owned uh not forprofit religious New York stateowned um town county or special districts like our fire district those properties are exempt uh the nonprofit medical dental and nursing uh is in there nonprofit education and you see that growth in this year so that was contributing to the overall tax uh tax base decrease in the in the upcoming year. And then we have the
053aged income exemption that's now known as the senior citizen exemption. I apologize I didn't update that. That's what it was formerly known as is the aged income exemption. And so you see the growth in that um since uh 2021 is about $4 million or 48.9% increase. And that is relative to again the stability and contributing to all the changes in those exemptions contribute to the trends that the overall uh tax base is seeing or that we're seeing in the overall tax base. >> And can you please expound on like that nonprofit education like what that actually consists of? What type of infrastructure is that? >> Um so that I would think is uh the MCC properties. Um if there's educational components of the U of maybe that may be included in there but it would
054be um uh educ some education. >> Okay. That's what I assume. >> But it doesn't mean Brighton Central School District. It's >> No, that would be that would be district owned. All of our property is included in in there. >> We're exempt from paying taxes into the levy. Is that what you're saying? >> Correct. We pay like some special um utility p like light poles and things like that, but generally we're not paying property tax on. >> So So you're saying If MCC were to expand its property base or if U of were to purchase buildings or land here in Brighton, those those properties would be exempt from paying taxes to the school district. >> Yes. >> Which happens, >> right? Because amount of growth >> and we're we're at the edges of all of
055those. >> And it's particularly a challenge. The town's talked about that quite a bit. >> Love being partners. We have a couple of them at the table. >> But it's not just education though. That would be medical as well. We have a number of medical buildings like we're adjacent to the hospital. >> Yep. All of those all those fall one of those categories. >> Thank you. >> And those are the trends over the last three years with the green uh being the 2025 tax rules this year. So what we consider just calculate the rate >> um is that's the most current data. >> Is there another question? >> Okay. And you see overall based on the the percentage of exempt and again as I tried to analytically review why our tax base was decreasing you
056can see u the percentage of the tax base exempt increased uh from 19.9% up to 20.6%. So this is the scale that the board adopted decades ago. I forget the exact year when the when the law first came out and then there was an opportunity to re to review that in 2023. We had had not reviewed that uh since we were prompted to and so there is uh addition additional options for the board of education to consider and up here is just a snapshot of of the new options that are available to the board of education. This is our sliding scale though um that we have adopted and comparatively as we surveyed our surrounding districts um the school districts have adopted a similar or a less a lesser income schedule than what's included here. So
057these are the districts that responded to a regional survey um that we were comparing our schedule to. Rush Henrietta from what I see in the data is the only district that has increased or has acted increasing the uh income thresholds for exemption um since the 2023 um and again the exemption profile the growth in their tax base it's it's a little bit different profile than what we experience in a more mature uh mature tax base here in >> but those those uh school districts listed to the right blue those are the ones who are either the same as us or have a lower threshold >> correct So what we tried to do is is an impact analysis based on the data. I didn't have uh the comparative town data to update this presentation since uh
058since their roles. Uh so this is just revisiting the analysis. I I don't think it would materially change uh what the impact was, but if we were as a school district to adopt the same income threshold, you could see what the in impact would be. So we have 159 parcels right now that are benefiting from the senior citizen exemption of $10.5 million. The town, based on my analysis of their tax roles, has 253 parcels with 18 point uh about $19 million rounding up for them. So, if we were to assume all of those parcels would then be uh would still qualify for the exemption that they're getting from the town and county, that would uh shift the tax rate and increase it by less than 1%. So about 0.9% or on the average home of
059$2,000 $200,000 just to be consistent with the 2014 analysis it's about $49. So what we did is we tried to uh look at the impact what it was in 2014 uh the last time I we did the analysis here compared to 2024 and then what I would estimate the adoption of like income schedule for the town would be. Now that's only based on the data we know. If there's other people that would apply for the uh senior citizen exemption um because of the impact of the school tax bill, you know, there may be more people who qualify that are not currently receiving it. That is u it's an unknown fact. So an alternate scenario and this is what we presented in last October as well. So if we were just to say um based on
060the 159 parcels that are receiving the exemption right now, if we were to amend the income threshold such that everyone in this schedule was to get the 50%. So essentially we carried down this 50% to all the um homes with an income of 37,400. What would the impact be? So, I would estimate that impact to be um about a quarter of a percent on the average tax bill or about $14. >> And that's for a maximum income of 37,400. >> Correct. >> If everybody at that qualified at 50. >> Yep. >> So, it would no longer be a sliding scale. >> That's an option that the board could consider. >> And that's what's presented in this slide. >> That was an alternative scenario just for illustration purposes. beyond uh beyond this um 37,400 then you're
061expanding the number of parcels that would be eligible. >> So the items to consider um is just what we talked about is that it would absolutely be a benefit um to our senior citizens that qualify for the senior citizen exemption. um it does decrease the tax base. So it is impacting the the relationship and it's uh shifting that obligation to the rest of the broader community. Um and again just a disclaimer is it's it's only my analysis is only good based on the data that I that I have privy to. I don't know the exact number. So it's an estimate of the I think it's a rough magnitude of impact of what the board of education is considering. And so the options considered then one end is obviously uh to eliminate the exemption uh to
062leave the current exemption schedule in place or change the current exemption schedule for the 2627 school year. Uh and again we're looking at the October time frame to be able to do that. Uh which is why it was important to have uh this discussion now that we had updated tax roles and there's an opportunity for discussion >> questions. >> So many question I have. questions. Um, just so I I really fully understand, >> um, I'm looking at s slides I'm really looking at slides eight 8 through 11. So our current scale is represented on eight. That's a sliding scale, right? So if you have an income of $29,000 and you are 65 and older, 50% of your property value would be exempt from from the school tax levy. Correct. Is that correct? >> Okay. And
063then if you make up to 36,5001 5% of your value is right just so I make sure I I fully understand the chart. >> And this is not considering the complexities of STAR or anything else like that. So it's hard for me to give an exact illustration because sure this comes off before STAR or how those are administered. It's not an exact science because the the property is likely not that's probably not the only exemption that's on it. They may be an enhanced star and then you know they're they're going into that too. So they would I I believe my understanding is correct. This exemption comes off first and then the enhanced star comes off. >> Okay. >> And do people qualify automatically for the exemptions or do you have to apply for? >> You
064have to apply and then there's there's an application period. >> So there may be people out there who are entitled to this benefit who don't receive it. >> Right. That's my disclaimer is okay. I don't I don't I don't it's not a a fixed population. >> Okay. And if we were to go to the limit of the law, we would essentially replace the chart on slide eight with Rush Henrietta's chart on slide nine. >> You could still have a sliding scale. Okay. >> Uh you could just change this uh threshold up to the $50,000 or you could adopt uh a separate one that expands the income even further. uh with uh the these last three bullets on the right hand side. >> Sure. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> Sure. for ours. >> Thank you. Just for
065your information. >> Yep. >> And I think you noted that in your letter as well that it was at the 50. So yes. >> So we have some folks then who are receiving a benefit from the town but don't qualify for the benefit from the school district. >> Okay. So let me Can I just clarify that? So, what I'm seeing from the town's data is that there's a 201 properties that are at the 50%, but then there's a number of properties that are in different um different what appear to be the sliding scale. >> I don't know my own experience. >> Oh, okay. Okay. I just want to make sure maybe I if I needed to reook at something I just wanted everybody and I know I'm noter that >> and what you've got uh
066Lou on I'm looking at slide 10 is that's the difference between the 159 that qualify today with I'm sorry that was in 2014 with the uh existing structure on the school on the senior exemption on the school side versus the 253 on the other side 2024 which is um those that are getting the town exemption. Is that am I looking at that correctly? >> Say that again. I'm sorry. >> The I'm trying to do the compare on slide 10 between the 159 and the 253. Now it's 2014 versus 2024. Correct. >> Right. So when I looked at the the tax roles from 2014, this was the analysis that was done then. Right. And then for comparative purposes saw saw here. >> The amount total amount of taxes that are paid based on the levy don't
067change. It's how it's distributed amongst the population. Correct. >> So that's what I was going to ask. So it's not um It's not just, you know, you know, make someone else's taxes go down. It still has to be paid for from elsewhere. Correct. So, it's a sh it's a shift of where the taxes are generated from, >> right? >> The pi the pi is the pi is the pi like we talked about in the spring, right? When we talked about the difference in evaluations, the pi is the pi. The levy is the levy, >> right? So, this like so the tax levy is what we're adopting, >> right? because the government doesn't come in and >> right and then >> it's it's whatever the change in this is >> this is an opportunity to to
068influence that change but the the levy is the levy >> okay that's what we're most accountable for in the budget process I mean that's the most visible thing certainly we build a budget that it considers the impact on the tax bill and that's why we disclose it in the budget news our best to estimate what that tax >> right but those timings are off because the val the evaluation from the town comes after we we pass our spending plan, right? So, >> and that's what happened to us this year is we assume no growth to try to be hopefully be conservative, but in in the resulting tax roles had a point8% decrease. >> Well, and we made that we made that bet based on information from the town which said they weren't going to change
069the valuations that everybody was going to to stay at their current value. >> Correct. which didn't take into effect the fact that exempt properties had come into play. >> Right. >> Do you foresee that more and more exempt properties a aside from exemptions we can grant? Do do you think that list is going to grow that that that shift is going to grow on the side of the exemptions we aren't granting? We can't we don't grant. >> Does that question make sense? >> If you look at this this profile and you look about the different, you know, the businesses. If we just talk about the businesses in in there, there's not a ton of vacant space for industrial growth that would be on the that we don't have any pilots anymore. >> Um, you know,
070if we look at that, we're we're probably an anomaly that we don't have any uh comeda uh pilot agreements. So, that's kind of an indication of our opportunity for growth in the commercial sector. which means again our stability I would think with you know just seeing the growth and the trends you know that is that is a risk for us long term as far as our you know the the proximity of our town with the U ofR with um you know the the Jewish home Rochester expanded and added senior housing because all the senior housing too and that type of investment um you know has tax implications as Is that differently? >> Those are not for profits. >> Basically, we're landlocked and we really don't have any developable land. >> So, I don't have any
071data to say we expect, >> you know, these the the huge exemptions. I don't have data that I can do that. >> I could say though based on our profile, it's a risk. >> Okay. And if I look at a community like Rush Henrietta, they are likely to have more Promea agreements, more pilot agreements than we are. They're likely to have more pilot agreements because there's opportunity for more commercial, you know, for-profit industrial business. >> And can you just define just for people watching at home pilot and come? >> Yeah. So, um a payment in lie of tax agreement. So, if a company wants to invest in a certain area, they they ask for tax abatements and so they ask for a separate um payment schedule for their taxes. And the standard one is they
072get 10%, you know, they get a percentage off and then it grows as the business grows. So it may start off with a 90% exemption and then it over a 10-year period, you know, then it it works its way into the goals. >> So it's just it's it's kind of a spread out of their their tax payments. >> Other questions? >> So let's talk about procedure for a minute. Go to slide 13. Um if you would L. This is not a vote. This is just a standing policy that we can look at at any time and choose to change at any time. U first Lou to you and the team, thank you for all the research done. You went out and collected a bunch of data out there. Uh the question for us to consider
073and again I'll emphasize this is not a vote. Is is this a time we want to make a change to this existing policy? Um your question Karen >> I I do actually have one further question about the slide you presented just so I can frame my own thinking. Uh, slide 11. Just can I confirm for myself? This this would essentially eliminate this would this would keep our income ceiling the same but would eliminate the sliding scale. Yes, >> correct. >> Okay. And it would shift it would shift a lesser tax burden to the to the the rest of the folks paying for the pie. Right. So it would be the impact on a $200,000 home would be $14 versus 49. >> Correct. >> Okay. But it affects fewer people because it doesn't add anyone new
074to the pot in terms of the exemption. >> Well, it limits the benefit to the parcels that are already benefiting from the exception. >> Okay. But it wouldn't necessarily grow the number of people who are entitled to the exception. Well, it always has the the chain that those number of parcels based on that income threshold could change Sure. >> up or down in any given year depending on the demographics, >> but but it wouldn't expand the benefit to folks who make more than the 36,500, >> right? It would limit it to the data set that we know today >> that we have today. Okay. Thank you. That that's the last piece of information my brain needed. >> Good. >> Okay. >> So, I'll go back to SL. >> No, that's all right. These are this
075is the time to ask the questions. you go back to slide 13 for me please Lou. So and I'm sorry I'll quickly make a note to anybody who watches this later. This presentation is available online at BCSD. So uh you can go and take a look at this. Um the opportunities as I said not a vote. We're just talking through this at the moment. Eliminate the exemption as it exists right now. Leave the current exemption uh schedule in place and re-evaluate it again at the board's discretion. uh change the current exemption schedule for the 26 27th school year up to the statutory limits or some value in between. And those were just a couple of the options that Luke presented. Um as I reviewed this and talked to a couple of other school board presidents
076and saw that uh I think approximately a dozen other school districts basically were working the same scale as we were and Rush Henria was the exception. my onus or my my sort of thought was to leave it in place as is and then sket a schedule to review it every 24 months to go what makes sense and again I'll emphasize this is not a vote I'm looking for people's opinions in terms of what we want to do um I'm leerary based on some of the feedback we got during the last budget process of putting we'd be certainly helping a group that would certainly appreciate the help and then balance that with people who are sort of in the middle going I'm feeling a strain and would feel an additional strain based on that. So there's
077no perfect answer that makes everybody happy here or that anyone would deem more fair than the other. These are all my opinions. So um I would like to hear from any of the board members who'd like to weigh in >> with regards to first where we are at the current schedule and then we can talk about is there a schedule to review this on a regular basis however we define regular. Larry, I think that makes a lot of sense. Excuse me. Um, this is great information and again member really helps understand sort of historical context versus some of our uh peer towns. I I still feel like I I'd need a little bit more specific information. There's some known unknowns. Um, I would feel more comfortable, you know, re-evaluating it down the road, but keeping
078it sort of on the radar if that makes sense. um because I just, you know, have some concerns about, you know, the valuations and the assessments coming down coming off of this last year. So, I'd be hesitant to do anything right now. >> I think that's where I'm at as well. There was a lot of confusion about assessments >> and and we're not sure where that will land. I'm I'm concerned that we had the sudden um loss in valuation overall due to exemptions coming at us from different places. But I'm also like I mean I admit from a from that legislative perspective that lens that I look at through my work with Monro County School Boards Association, this is not the local control I'm looking for. This is something the state should be deciding. This
079essentially they're pushing this this decision onto school districts to essentially be the good guy or the bad guy. Um, and I really think this is theirs to decide overall. That should be a benefit the if this is a benefit that's possible. The state should be deciding that for all of our senior citizens. I'm not sure I understand why individual school districts have the power to say this is this is the choice or and the town and the county as well. That's that's sort of baffling to me. It seems this is not this is not the local control I'm looking for. I would like this is something I'd prefer the state to decide on behalf of all senior citizens, but I'm uncomfortable with the fact that we see the overall valuation the valuations in our town
080decreasing and then thinking about pushing pushing burden onto other folks who own pieces of the pie. >> I'm I'm comfortable with either decision. Does that make sense? Yep. >> I don't want to say no, but I also don't want to I don't I don't this doesn't I can't fit it in my brain right now. >> So, I'll speak for myself. For those of us who think the current state tax system has flaws, the burden to try to correct it locally, I think is unfair. Um I'm just going to shift burdens to different people. And and Mary, I know that's not what you're going to want to hear. I just got to believe there's a better way. Um but this is something I think we have given the tax structure in our state that we just
081have to review on a regular basis. Um you know I've talked to a couple of school board presidents from towns that have this in place that are going through the same thing we are concerned about shifting a tax burden but also concerned about the existing tax burden on lower income earners. So, >> from a data perspective, do you think that we should look at it again in a year or are you thinking like in 24 months? Like what? >> I I think the way we've set up the analysis, it's it's easy to update. I mean, the the impact analysis um you know, the town, we're strong partners with the town, so we share data. You know, it's the analysis is not hard to do. So, >> it can be in whichever a year or two
082years continue to review it. >> I can easily do an exemption update each year. >> I I wonder if that that's that seems to make great sense to me that we should look at that >> annually. I I would be content to look at that annually versus versus in two years because I feel like there are these great shifts coming when it comes to the I I don't know what's ahead of us when it comes to assessments and and the total valuation >> at this point. There's a lot of unknown and so we have before we can make a decision. >> I'm sorry to interrupt. I I would think that that may be something when uh we recommend the adoption of the levy and the tax that could be, you know, supplemental information, you know,
083kind of an analytic like we do on a monthly basis. I can do it's all part of that tax warrant, you know, that the board of education signs that's supported by the tax rules >> and we do that in early August. So at least you can see the trends and um you know if there was like this year we were surprised if there was a huge opportunity that you know tax base went up 4% or something like that you know then that board would have an opportunity to look at that >> in the context of everything that we have authority or influence over >> tax levy appropriated fund balance. >> Yeah I'm gonna just build on something you asked just from a pure timing perspective to consider this is this something You obviously have the
084budget vote in May and that is a a strong demonstration of feedback by the community. However the vote goes typically it goes very well. But is this a summer? Because as we look at this here if we had wanted to change the exemption schedule it would affect the 2627 year is is the way I'm reading that. That the right way to think about it in terms of how that would go. >> Yeah. So you wouldn't the timeline that I just kind of talked about if you were looking at it and looking at that data in August then you could say is this a conversation we want to carry into the fall for consideration for the next fiscal year >> but you could it's it's always going to be off a year unless you >> so
085there's no opportunity to change it within the the given year the current year >> and that's on my rule that's >> right but and that's but that's another annoyance I have with the state that all of Those schedules are off. We have we are mandated to have the vote in May, but we can't set the tax warrant because we don't have the information from the town until August. Like it all of its all of the pieces don't work together the way they're supposed to for my >> which >> I've noticed that you could make this easier. >> Okay. Um pending that I'll um again we're not voting. We'll close this as the exemption will stay as is and will call for a regular review uh sometime after the budget vote which is May of 26
086and into the fall that would affect or not depending if there was a change the uh following budget year >> questions or comments about that. I just wanted to thank Mary for bringing this to our attention um so we are able to you know do as much as we can and look into this as much as we can because this is an important topic. Thank you. >> See that red numbers? >> Yeah. >> That's why Lou has all the gray hairs. and black spray paint. >> Thanks, Mary. >> Mary, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Great conversation. Again, Lou, thanks to you and your team for collecting all that data. Super helpful >> and for dealing with all the >> Yes, it's on the radar and very educational for us. Y >> great.
087Okay, next up, I've got the approval of the financial reports. You all have received the treasures report effective May 31, 2025. the treasur's report um as of June 30th which is on audited. There are audit meetings next month. >> Yes. Um and then financial summary as of June 2025. You've had a chance to review these. These do need to be a voted on approved. Are there any questions based on those reports? Motion to approve the financial reports as presented. >> So moved. >> Moved by Karen. >> Seconded by Esther. All those in favor? >> I. Next up on the consent agenda, we've had a chance to review the personnel changes, uh, special education reports, and the preschool special education report. School has started, so we've got eating opportunities and car washing opportunities to help a
088bunch of our great organizations that the students have. Um, we also have two gifts to announce. One, a gift in the amount of $50 from Shelley Goldstein Weiss to the Brighton Central School District PTSA Student Support Fund. and a gift in the amount of $50 from John King to the Brighton Central School District PTSA student support fund. Questions with regards to the consent agenda? Motion to approve. >> So move. >> Moved by Esther. >> Seconded by Clayton. All those in favor? >> Before we adjourn, first tech crew, thank you for making this accessible to the community. Asher, Mike, and Bill, thank you guys very much. We meet again at the end of the month, but we're going to go on the road. Uh it'll be at Council Rock. So, this is our visit. We do
089a school visit each year for each of the schools. So, it'll be at Council Rock on Tuesday, September 30th. Following up from an item, PTSA meeting is next Tuesday the 16th. Um so, and then you can all see that on Brighton Central School District. Anything else for the good of the order? Just on behalf of the PTSA, they have their Bright and Believes 5K on September 27th at Meridian Park. It's a blast. Tons of kids come out. Um, so if anyone, since they're not here to report that, I'm going to do that for them. So hopefully it's open to everybody. It's open to every community member. Um, so we'd love to see you out there. >> Are you running, Carrie Lyn? >> I am not running. I typically MC, which is so uncomfortable. >> Oh,
090exciting. >> But, um, yes, I've been helping with that for a few years. It's grown every year and it's a awesome way to kick off a healthy new school year um and get the community together. Great. >> Great. >> With that motion to adjurnn. >> Moved by Carrie Lynn. >> Seconded by Esther. All those in favor. >> We are ajourned. >> This has been a special presentation from the Brighton Central School District Board of Education.