001Hi everyone. Good evening. Welcome to this Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025 business meeting agenda of the Oyster Bay East Norwich School District. I'd like to call the meeting to order and can everyone please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Okay, Miss Santos, correspondence. All correspondence was via email. 3:28 Lindsay uh Thornton for the OEN swim team. 328 Darren Deosece, girls flag football spring 2026. Thomas Winhousen updated written request followup. Thomas Winhousen updated request followup. Uh the first one to 44 the second one was 46. Chris Smukla regarding a Vernon issue and Zachary Nyberg regarding response to foil request and 58 emails from Heather Nadali regarding various subjects between March 26 and April 22nd. Thank you Miss Santos. I'd like to turn it over now to Dr. Yanni for the superintendent's report. Good evening everyone. I hope
002everybody had a wonderful relaxing break. It's uh very difficult to believe that we have a few months left of school and uh as a parent I remember those months. They're they're very very intense because we're trying to get everybody stay focused all the way to the end and sometimes it's difficult but uh I hope everybody will take an opportunity to uh attend all the extra sessions that we have the tutoring sessions and finish strong uh to until the end of the year. Um I want to congratulate our senior Amelia Scaml and junior Max Marotti. Um they are this year recipients of the Nassau County Controller Math Accounting and Finance Award. This award recognizes outstanding high school seniors and juniors who have a strong academic records and have demonstrated a personal interest in the three subject
003areas. Ameilia and Max uh were presented with a certificate by the controller. So congratulations. We're very proud of them. On April 10th, we had a full auditorium where the National Honor Society students got inducted. Uh we had 42 students. Uh they apply they uh the application is based on their average an unweighted average and also about the application which highlighted scholarship, leadership, service and and character. Miss Aris teacher did a wonderful job organizing the event and Dr. Nicole Cisia was awarded teacher of the year. So congratulation to Nicole very welld deserved and to all the students and miss Miss Harris. [Applause] So tonight on the agenda, you will notice a resolution to grant tenure to a special individual who has worked and continues to work so hard every single day for the students of Oyster
004Bay. So it is with a huge smile and a heart full of pride that I recommend we grant tenure to our fantastic deputy superintendent Moren Rainor. Meen uh in a very short period of time became an essential component of our district. She works tirelessly behind the scene, never looking for recognition or a spotlight. So, I'm pretty sure that this is not a comfortable time for her that she put on the spotlight. But Moren's time uh with us has been nothing short of amazing. She's gone above and behind in everything that she does. always putting our students first and dividing and diving head first into new ideas to help our students succeed. There are so many initiatives that Moren is working on, but just to name the the the latest one which has been transformative for
005our district is our 21st century capital project that we started a few years back. Marina has been right there with me and the entire team since the beginning. uh we started this uh this journey. Uh to be honest with you, there are times when I sit with Moren at this meetings every Tuesday. I don't know what we're going to do when the meetings are over, but uh Moren is pretty much talking to the contractors and uh she's a very tough negotiator and sometimes I don't even understand what she's talking about. So I'm glad that she's there because she's a good translator about all the technical terms but it's almost another language. So thank you for all the translation Moren dedication helped us so much getting everything done and uh we are the last piece. The
006ver the Vernon uh athletic center is is moving on uh very well and is going to be completed soon. But Moren is much more than than our job. She's an incredible woman with so much energy. I keep telling her all the time, you should really seriously consider running a marathon or an Iron Man or something because you would definitely win. She's a wonderful teacher. I had uh the pleasure of observing her many years ago. Uh an amazing businesswoman, uh an amazing human resource administrator, con construction expert, and a a fantastic negotiator. Honestly, she's a dream colleague. I'm so lucky to have her on on my team. And Moren, I promised you that I was not saying anything, but sorry I had to do this. So, this recogni this recommendation is all about recognizing Moren incredible
007leadership, our knowledge, our passion for our district, our dedication to our students, staff, and community. So, Moren, I want to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. A few things for you which was very difficult today to keep it away from you. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Okay. Okay. So, at this point, I'm going to invite Moren to the podium for the not far. I go back uh back uh for the budget adoption. This is our last presentation. So, I want to thank Moren, Zach, Lisa, Skameillo, which works in the office, and the entire team for working together during the budget process. So [Applause] Marie All right. So I was told to get back to work. So here we go. Uh I am pleased tonight to present the fourth budget presentation. Uh this provides an overview
008of the budget that you do see on tonight's agenda for the board to review for adoption. So, as we present the budget throughout the whole season this year, we've continued to keep the vision of empowering all students to achieve excellence. And our mission has remained the same to advance Oyster Bay East Norwich as a model of excellence and innovation, providing exceptional opportunities and outcomes for all students while partnering with our community and staff to ensure thoughtful management of resources and investments in the future. Additionally, each year we work on a focus for the budget cycle. For the 2526 cycle, we have maintained the focus of staying within the allowable tax levy cap, aligning our resources to foster student growth and success and to appropriately use our reserves to provide uh to prioritize safe, efficient future
009learning and to promote fiscal responsibility, which I'm very proud we saw this past fall when our external auditors um presented us with a clean audit. Uh no no current or no prior year findings. Uh today's presentation um is an overview of all the components the revenue and the expense as well as the capital reserves and providing some voter information at the end. Looking at the budget simply put our revenues must equal our expenses. Our revenues are primarily in this district received from our tax levy which I'll spend a little time discussing as well as some state aid some reserves fund balance and some miscellaneous revenue. Our expense side of the budget which again must equal our revenue is primarily our salary and benefits and contractual services. Going into the revenue side of the budget, as
010I said, our tax levy is 88%, which is why it's so important for us to remain fiscally responsible for our community members. State aid only represents 5% of our budget, while the other revenue is only 7%. So, starting with our tax levy, this shows a historical graph of our CPI over the past few years. Although we did see a spike two to three years ago, it is coming down this year at 3.3% but still over the 2% and the maximum allowable tax levy growth is capped at 2% as per the New York State Office of Controller. So the formula for the property tax cap is defined by the controller. Every district must follow this and here are some of the key components that go into it. our prior year tax levy, the tax based growth
011factor, our pilots, capital exclusions, and again that allowable tax levy growth factor which is capped at 2% even though expenses may go up with CPI higher than 2%. So although the formula is the same for every district, the the variables that go in are different to district to district. So for the Oyster Bay East Norwich district, we are have a tax levy allowable tax levy limit at 2.91%. Which is about approximately 1.7 increase levy to levy this current year's budget to next year's budget. Putting some numbers to that, it is slightly below uh $59.9 million, which is that 1.7 increase year-to-year. And we are proposing a budget within that tax levy limit. Looking at our state aid, we did see the governor's proposal back in January, um which did present a an increase in our
012foundation aid of 2%. Um small variation in our expense driven aid and a a tremendous increase in our UPK, which we've been discussing has been able to improve our program to a full day program. uh four sections next year. Uh as you may have read or heard in the news, there is a standstill right now up in New York State. Um that has postponed the budget to at least tomorrow. Uh we don't believe any of this is related to uh what's going to affect our district as far as the foundation aid because we do have that minimum foundation aid of 2%. Uh therefore, we are comfortable presenting a budget this evening for adoption um as we don't expect any changes um from the New York State enacted budget from the governor's proposal back in January.
013This provides you a further detail of the state aid breakout with the foundation 82% at the top and of the breakdown of the different um expense driven aids that this district does receive. It is, you know, very important for us throughout the business office and the support of our administrative and clerical support to make sure we're maximizing um the aid that we are able to receive for some of our purchases. looking at our reserves and fund balance each year. The board of education along with our audit committee does look at uh what the use of the reserves are, what the funding levels of the reserves are. This year from June 30th left over from the prior year, we see the balance of the reserves to be able to make the decision on how to appropriately
014use them. That is why this year uh as we've seen in the past year as well when CPI is high to be able to maintain a long-term financial stability for the district, we're able to have this healthy reserve and healthy fund balance to offset some of the additional costs and again make sure we have a consistent tax levy for our community. These are just some of the miscellaneous revenues. Again, a very small percentage of our revenue, but it's important to share that these things come from um use of facilities, our interest, income, um county reimbursements, and several of the sources that you do see listed there. Putting all that together, each of those three categories, you can see our proposed 2526 revenue budget is 16 67,79161, which is again just about a little more than
015$2 million increase from the prior year. uh putting it into a chart, you can see again the tax le is 88%. Looking at the expense side of the budget again has to equal what we give for the revenue. Uh so it's important that we break it down so you can see where all the increases are coming from. Salary and wages right up at top the 34 million approximately benefits as well um and transportation are some of the large increases. This sort of a year-to-year comparison of the budget uh with the difference on the far right of this putting it into a graph again you can see our salaries and wages which are our contractual amounts. Our benefits in red uh is another 25% and then the transportation is one of the largest costs. Most of
016the other services are fairly small pieces of our chart for this year. Another way to break down the budget to look at it in specific details is called a three-part budget. This you will see in your budget newsletter when it is mailed home. It breaks down the budget numbers into the administrative um which is more supervision costs, legal costs, things in that nature where the capital is about the facilities and utility costs. And the program, as you can see, is the largest area because that's the one that really focuses on the educational uh and classroom materials cost. So, this gives um the community an ability to see the breakdown of those numbers specific to each of the categories in which they're budgeted. But what's more important and I'm proud to show is that year to
017year when you look at our existing year on the left to our proposed for the right the cost that has gone up has been the program cost which is the ones that directly affect our students. We are reallocating the resources to make sure our students have what they need. Putting it all together you can see the year-to-year budget comparison. The current budget is on the left. The proposed budget is on the right with about a $2 million increase. Oops. Right. So again, looking at the capital reserves each year, it's important that we look at what we have, what we're using, what we're funding. Um, and you can see on the bottom what our proposed is um pretty typical with what we expect to be able to fund it this year as well. So what projects
018would that get you for uh get for that money is at the high school, we have concrete, asphalt, sidewalk, parking lot renovations, uh the house lights in this auditorium that we're in right now, as as well as some minor uh HVAC renovations. At the El Roosevelt, we are very happy to say with the addition of that 21st century capital bond, the classrooms, new classrooms are amazing for our students. We want to make sure that their cafeteria now gets turned back into the stage for student use. So, there's going to be some cafeteria renovations, air conditioning that cafeteria and then some minor carpet and flooring replacement in some classrooms that are just older. District wide, there's some roof uh repairs with just one roof replacement over at the administration building that's uh beyond its years. following
019the technology projects. This is very consistent with Miss Gibbons's five-year technology plan and what she's presented um specifically for our onetoone student device where students at TR have the onetoone ability to use iPads and then Chromebooks in third grade which then get replaced later on. Um staff devices do get rotated out every several years. Um as well as rotating out the older educational display boards and some security system upgrades. So the $485,000 coming out of the technology capital reserve will support all these projects. This slide just presents uh what you will expect to see on the ballot on May 20th. The first proposition is the school budget that I just presented. Proposition two is for the technology capital reserve. Proposition three is for those capital facility repairs. We've been very consistent with our timeline. The
020next two big uh milestones would be May 6 as our budget hearing. The budget vote will be May 20th from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the West Bay High School chorus room as it's been in prior years. And again, you can see the timeline which we've maintained consistency with. Just a few resources for uh those of you uh here or listening at home. This slide presents historical vote information of not only your budget to budget increase each year, your levy increase each year, and the total number of votes um that we've seen for for prior years. There's also vote information available here that tells you about whether you're registered to vote, how you can become registered to vote, and again, it's important to recognize that the last day to register to vote is May
02115th. The district clerk's information is also here available uh if you need any assistance. And these resources are available uh the presentations and budget information are available each night for the board agenda on the board docs website as well as on the district's web page under board of ed. You will see a budget link which has all of the materials, the timelines, all the supporting documentation as well as for the past three to four years, we've maintained an archive on the left side as that as well for year-to-year comparison. Thank you very much. Thank you, Miss Raina. Mi Miss Rea, I have one question. with the 990,000 use in the capital reserve. Um do we know what we could replenish that reserve with this year or correct? We're we're expecting just about the same um
022probably around a million dollars we're going to be able to replenish it. That comes from um excess fund balance this year as well as interest income on that reserve as well. Okay, great. Thank you. Anybody else have any other questions? Okay, let's move on to approval of minutes. Motion to approve the meeting minutes as listed attached below. Do I have a motion? So moved. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed. Motion carries. Let's move on to public participation on agenda items. Opportunity for the public to be heard in accordance with the open meetings law. School board meetings where school district business will be discussed are open to the public. The Oyster Bay East Norwich Board of Education welcomes public comment at its meetings. The board of education will respond to comments and or
023inquiries in appropriate manner. This portion of the meeting is designed exclusively for agenda items. A signin book is provided for those residents wishing to address the board. In order to be recognized, you must be signed in. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. The board president will call you to the microphone in the order in which you have signed in. Public discussion is prohibited regarding matters relating to an individual's reputation, privacy, or right to due process, which in some way could be violated. A second commentary period is provided for non-aggenda items prior to adjournment. We thank you for your participation and cooperation. I understand no one signed in. Let's move on to approval of instructional personnel items. Resolved upon the recommendation of superintendent of schools, the board of education of the Oyster
024Bay East Nor School District hereby approves of instructional personnel items as listed in their entirety. Do I have a motion? Second. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed. Motion carries. Congratulations, Miss [Applause] Rainer. Okay, let's move on to non-instructional personnel items. Resolved, upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, the board of education of the Oyster Bay East Norwich Central School District hereby approves a non-instructional personnel items as listed in their entirety. Do have a motion. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed? Motion carries. Let's move on to approval of business items. Resolved upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, the board of education of the Oyster Bay East Central School District hereby approves the business items as listed in their entirety. Do I have a motion? Second. Any discussion?
025All in favor? I. All opposed. Motion carries. Let's move on to uh approval of special services resolutions. Resolved upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools. Board of Education of the Oyster Bay East North Central School District hereby approves the special services resolutions as listed in their entirety. Do I have a motion? Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed. Motion carries. Let's move on to approval of new business resolutions. Resolved. Upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, the board of education of the Oyster Bay East Norwich Central School District hereby approves the new business resolutions as listed in their entirety. Do I have a motion? Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed? Motion carries. Let's move on to public participation on non-aggenda items. Has anyone signed it? Okay. Do I
026have a motion to adjourn the meeting? Second. Thank you everyone. Have a good night. Thank you. She's clapping for the meeting.