001Call the meeting to order. Please stand for the pledge. Okay, we have a lot to get through tonight. So, it's going to be a little longer than the normal meeting. Right now, we'll have property proposed real property tax exemption policy office of public hearing. >> Yeah, I'm just going to quickly go over it. If anybody in the public has any questions, the board has any questions. I always feel like everybody can just hear everything. >> Not over the fans. >> It's on, but it's already on. Yeah, it's on, but it's not strapped. Okay. So, I'll just talk. So, I'll just go over what is being proposed. Uh we have the police officers one on there. That one doesn't actually require a public hearing, but um there is a firefighters tax exemption for 10% of real
002property tax. That already exists. We have that. They have allowed us if there's a volunteer firefighter who dies in the line of duty to extend a greater 50% property tax exemption to their spouse. Um I am proposing we go to the 50%. It will have very small effect. Uh I don't expect you hope that there are not many instances of that. Um and what happens is half of their property will be exempt from taxation for the school district. Um That doesn't affect the school district's money. It takes them out It takes that half of their property out of the pool and the rest is divided up by amongst the people. To give you an idea of the size of our district in real property tax terms, uh the market value of our district uh, this
003year is $1.5 billion. So, if you had say even four surviving spouses get a 50% deduction, uh, you're talking about $600,000 in a $1.5 billion pot. It's it's barely going to tick the needle. Um, there is a corresponding police officers one that we have in this this um, hearing. However, that one does not require hearing by law. You can vote on that yes or no uh, without a hearing. We just included it. Um, that is if a police officer dies in line of duty, um, oh, this also includes uh, EMTs, ambulance person. Um, then uh, their surviving spouse would be eligible for that 50% deduction. Um, if you have any questions on that, I'd be happy to answer but it's pretty straightforward. >> Pretty straightforward. >> Yeah, and and I don't expect it and I
004pray in fact that it is uh, seldomly used. Is that Is that part of the year? >> Yeah, you already mentioned that. >> Okay. So, if do we have that on this board agenda? Okay. So, we're also intending to do it will probably be on the July uh, board agenda um, the veterans exemption. So, for veterans who are disabled in combat, they get a 100% property tax deduction. That is another one that we are uh, recommending that the board pass. Uh, that one also doesn't require a public hearing but I will mention it so the public is aware that it's occurring. Uh, again, like the others, it's one that you hope doesn't get used very often and if it does, I can't imagine that it would have much effect on our on our tax base.
005>> But, it's two different things, correct? The deductions are >> They are. They're actually three different. There's one for there's the firefighters and ambulances one, the police is a second one and then the veterans is the third. Um, so they're three separate ones. They can be voted on separately. I think um you know, for what the people do for for the community and and for the effect that it would have, it's it's uh not a not a big task. I can't imagine it would even end up being noticeable in the tax base. >> So at this time I'll take any public comment on what Caleb just explained. Did everybody hear Caleb? Okay. Any any public comment? Any questions? At this time I'll take a vote. I'm going to do all four at once save time.
006All in favor of all four proposal or well, the exemptions aren't until July, right? >> Yeah, right. No. >> So we'll vote on July. >> So yeah, we're going to put them on. This is the public hearing. >> Oh, so we just put them on and we'll vote on them on July. Uh executive session, I'm sorry. >> It was just to take in public comment if anybody had any >> My bad. >> any concerns or >> I don't I don't foresee a problem with all four of them. >> Right. And they cuz they don't take effect until um March 1st. Uh because because we're not a calendar year. >> 2027. >> Correct. So um people will have to apply for it by March 1st in order for uh to get them for the not for
007this coming's tax year. They won't be available for that. It's already um we're already past that deadline. So it would be on the 2027-2028 school year will be the first year that this would take effect. >> Okay. All set. At this time I will take a motion to go in executive session about a contract before we start our normal meeting. Motion motion by Beth. Second. >> I'll second. >> We'll be right back to will be business after public comment. >> Uh you twisted it. Yeah. >> I make a motion we come out of executive session. >> Second. >> I need a motion to come out executive. >> I I just made that motion. >> Ah. >> You made You made a motion. Anybody second it? >> Second. >> Justin second. Justin second. Okay. So, we
008did you approve the administrative contract, correct? Do you have to be there? >> No. >> All right. At this time, I will take a vote by motion on the approval of the LG administrative associate contract, July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2029. Take a motion. >> I'll make the motion. >> Motion by Amador. >> Seconded by Justin. Any discussion? >> No. >> All good? >> Yes. >> I'll take a vote. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Passed. Superintendent's report. Mr. Young. >> Sure. >> Okay. So, the first thing on um my report, um I know there's been um some different ideas of where principals are going to go next year, who's going to be principal, um because Mr. Carpentier, he is moving to Monticello. So, congratulations again on that job. So, the principal at George
009L. Mackenzie for next year, the 2026-2027 school year, that'll be the right school year, will be Mr. Conklin. So, um that will >> [applause] >> So, who will be the next principal? Um regarding the junior senior high school principal, which that will be I've been um right now between the administrative team of Dr. England, Mr. Conklin, and Scott Krebs, we will be working this summer all together as an administrative team just to make sure we got the junior senior high school ready to rock and roll. Um but then we are going to look. So, we'll be ready to go. Okay? Um, so congratulations for your new principal. An email will be going out tomorrow to the faculty of both um buildings just to let them know. And then I will have a statement for the
010parents. So, we'll send all the information out. Um, regarding that um, we are going to do tenure celebration um, >> [snorts] >> at this time or not at the end of the meeting. So, we'll go ahead and say congratulations on tenure, congratulations on retirement. We're going to come back to that. All the board members have their yearbook. So, thank you to Miss Ross and Mr. Post cuz the yearbooks look awesome. Um, I signed several last week and today. I think they were trying to get into my office cuz it's full. Um, so the kids had me sign so I do appreciate they did a great job. Um, I did get some stuff from um, things a couple of things I want to talk about from the the state finally passed the budget on um May
01128th, even though it's supposed to be passed in April. So, with that the zero emission buses kind of got kicked down the road. So, we are going to talk a little bit about those changes. We did a bus proposition on our on the budget vote for the purchase of diesel buses um, for the 27-28 to be dropped off late August of 27-28. So, we are going to talk about that. Um, with this state budget it does open up universal pre-K. And um, that is where we have now up that I think it's $10,000 per child. Um, and it doesn't and it actually says um, it opens up a full-day pre-kindergarten seat to every eligible child for the 28-29 school year. So, that was included. That's a good thing in the budget. Um Um and then
012tier six reform pension reform was also passed with this budget. We're not really sure of exactly how that's going to play out, but they did kind of for TRS kind of change a little bit with um tier six and that reduces the retirement years from 5 years at 63 to 58 when they can retire. It also changes the employee contribution rate. So and Caleb can talk more about that. Um >> I can just really quickly and it's real quick. Um so the TRS is the only one that gets the reduction in retirement age. ERS is the only one that gets reduction in how much they pay into it. >> Okay. >> So those were the two different things and it's expected in the 20 not this year, but next year to cost the school district
013right around 30 to 40,000 dollars um extra. So cuz it mostly falls on the school districts, not the um state. So they're expecting our contribution to go up by 0.4% of salaries. That's about what it works out to. Right around 40 grand. >> So like I said, I will um we will continue talking about the bussing question. Um but for right now that's what I have in my report, but I know that Mr. Hallett would also like to talk about the bus. >> Well, I mean it's been an it's been an issue for for the last couple years after we got from the state. But what has to be clear is we are not purchasing or buying or leasing electric buses. That has to be clear to everybody. And the people are in in the
014community are confused about these electric buses. Everything we are doing >> [snorts] >> is proactive against the electric buses. Purchasing buses was to get them now because in 2027 the original law was you couldn't get a diesel bus or a gas powered bus after 2027. And I know Missy and I asked Missy to come here and thank you for coming because she enlightened me on a few things. Tracy, Missy, myself, and I believe it was Caleb took a ride to Monticello. People don't understand what the infrastructure is going to cost the school district for electric buses. It's millions of dollars. And we don't have it. So, there was avenues we were going to go. Thank god that's been kicked down the kicked down the road a bit. What what are they saying now? >> It's
015uh >> Another 5 years. >> Right. So, now the last time you can purchase is 2032 and then you have to be fully electric by 2040. >> Yeah. So, I might not be live by then. Uh >> [laughter] >> Uh So, now So, back to what Tracy said, we put it on the ballot because the state couldn't get their stuff together and have to close their budget. So, we put on a ballot to purchase new buses. Diesel buses. And that was to get ahead of then we could keep them for 5 years. Now the state says we don't have to have electric buses. So, now we're we're put into a predicament. Do we lease again? Or do we purchase new buses? And I guess that goes to Caleb because Caleb's done run the numbers and
016for what we're being told it's cheaper to purchase. >> Yeah, I would I would continue with the purchase. I The the pros and cons audit uh you know, with a lease, you got two major pros. One is you're you're definitely going to get rid of it at the end of 5 years. So, you'll always have You'll never have a bus that's more than 5 years old because at the end of 5 years you give it back and get new ones. The other pro to that is you uh you have a little bit more of a stable You know what your expense is going to be exactly, you know, to the dime. But for the most part, what ends up happening is we do and a lot of people don't know this, but uh how schools
017have to do leases, they do what's called a lease buyback, right? The title is in our name. I have the titles for the buses here. Okay, the loan is in our name. It's a loan with the bank under Elbridge Central School District. We buy the buses and then we have a non-revocable agreement to sell them back to the leasing company for a set price. The problem that's been happening is buses, because of the electric conversion, diesel buses, prices have been going through the roof. Now, you negotiate the price they're going to buy it back at the beginning of the lease. So, on this current lease, we're going to be sending buses back. They're going to pay us $511,000 for buses. We purchased these buses for, I believe it was 1.5, 1.7 million this fleet. They're
018going to get it back for 511. The new fleet, buses have gone up almost 60%. They're The new fleet is $2.5 million just about. So, these $511,000 buses are likely worth between 1 and 1.3 million dollars. We could just sell them for that. If you wanted to buy them and then sell them at the end of 5 years and just do what you did with the lease, even if you didn't want to keep them longer. If you were like, you know what, at the end of these 5 years, I'm going to get rid of them. You could sell them for a lot more than what you're probably going to be able to negotiate on the lease, cuz they're going to negotiate the prices based on what the prices are today. And do I think buses
019are only going to go up 2 and 3% for the next 5 years? No, I don't. I think they're going to continue having high inflation as long as there's the threat of going electric, people are going to jump on the bus or they're going to jump on the diesel bandwagon trying to buy them up. And then also diesel production is going to go down because people are going to be buying some electric buses. Okay? The other thing that needs to be considered is the the the repairs and maintenance on them, right? That is not a product of the lease. That is a package we buy with the bus. You get that whether you lease or whether you purchase for for the 5 years, right? So, you buy a 5-year warranty with the bus, let's say
020the 66-passenger bus is $191,000. In there, and I can't remember what the price is. Melissa might have that on her, but the price there's a package in there for an extended chassis warranty, which is, you know, your your frame, body frame, and and then mechanical warranty. That's the same whether you lease it or buy it. Right? So, we're not going to do major mechanical repairs just because we purchased them. Unless you keep them longer than the 5 years. Right? Which you can do, but that gives you flexibility. Purchasing also gives you the flexibility to do that. At the end of the 5 years, if you want to do what you were going to do with the lease and sell them back, and I'm going to go ahead and guess the leasing company is not buying
021them back for $511 out of the goodness of their heart. We could sell them for that instead. And we could just treat it like a lease, and every 5 years buy new buses. Or you could do it over a period of time. You could say, "I'm going to buy two buses in year four, in year five, in year six." And just get used to that instead of making a a loan payment, buying new buses. You could do it either way, but it gives you that flexibility. Whereas with a lease, there isn't really flexibility. It's I own them for 5 years or I don't, and then I give them back. >> So, in terms of the maintenance, >> Yeah. >> um major things would be covered if we took on this extra plan, right? Like a
022warranty type thing. >> a function of the of the bus purchase rather than the lease itself. >> What about like regular maintenance? Is that what we are would be expected to >> lease, either. Yeah, that's >> So, we would be expected to do that ourselves, and do we have the >> now. We're doing that now. We're doing that now. So, for the first 5 years, >> So, so hold on. So, the the maintenance would be brakes, oil changes, stuff like that. >> Tires. And And then they also do they'll do like like if a mirror breaks off the side of it, or if there's some minor repairs and stuff, they do do some um minor repair to the bus. >> What's the What's the biggest thing you get into missing over there for maintenance cycle?
023I mean, just typical maintenance, oil changes. We we need to kill these fans. Right. So, I guess the biggest thing is here is that we pay for the We're going to pay for the warranty through the through the leasing company or if we buy it. >> Yeah, we get the warranty either way. >> We're we're we're paying We're you know, we're >> 5 years of it. So, after 6 years the maintenance will be on us. And then at around 3 or 4 years we can have a discussion about what you want to do if you want to start replacing like if there are two buses that are big problem buses. >> you can't wait for 3 or 4 years, Caleb. If we're going to do this, you need to start budgeting right now. I did
024this in a town I know I went through this in a town. They weren't replacing equipment. And we came up with a budget line and we started budgeting money every year for replacement of We We called it equipment line. And because they didn't do that down there, yeah, the truck went around the corner and the whole standard bus fell over in the middle of 1975 cuz it got too old. Cuz they weren't budgeting going down the road. 3 years down the road we can't start budgeting to figure out that we needed start replacing the buses. After 5 years it gives you 2 years to do it. So, what I'm saying is we need to start thinking if we're going to go buy buses, we need to start budgeting it now so that you're not keeping
025them on the road. They start You start turning them over 4 or 5 years. You want to do two a year? But how many buses are we buying? 11? >> I have that in there we're buying 12. Um but I have that in there. So, I was I was already budgeting that we were going to spend about $372,000 starting to purchase new buses on year four and on. What I meant to say is that we can sit down and look and say, "Okay, do we have What's What's the problem bus?" Right? It's like, "Okay, this bus has been in for a six times." If you lease, you have to give them all back and get a new set. If you buy, you can say, "Okay, I'm going to replace this bus, get it fixed while
026it's under warranty, sell [snorts] it to somebody, and that's going to be the bus that becomes the replacement bus, where you have other ones that are maybe a little more lightly used." >> How many buses are in the lease fleet? >> Um [clears throat] we have so What in the lease fleet? Yeah. >> How many? >> We ordered 13 for this one. Okay, so we did the we did the 11 long buses and then we did a 44 and a 30. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So So here's the Here's what I'm going to say and I'm going to try to say this right. So at the end of 5 years, you want to sell two buses. Or let's say we sell three buses. >> We might. >> So then the following year, we sell
027three buses. But at the [clears throat] end of the fleet, you're going to own a bus that's 10 years old, 11 years old. I didn't do my math quick, but if you have 13 buses, you're going to replace two or three every year, you should >> I will never have a bus >> You'll replace some more in 1 year. >> I will You will have in the first cycle three buses that get to the ninth year. So you'll have three buses that are 9 years old. Hopefully, if you're buying them the way I was just talking to you about, they will be your three less problematic buses, right? So you're going to you're going to evaluate your fleet. You're not going to keep >> [clears throat] >> the You're going to get rid of the
028ones that are breaking down like >> It may not give you a problem today, but they give you a problem tomorrow. >> Right. And I also budgeted $191,000, was it? No, repairs. Okay, so I budgeted $120,000 a year for repairs. That was $40,000 more than when we rebuilt two engines. All right, so I I I fluffed this up. I tried to make leasing look as good as it could when I did these numbers. I was like, "There's going to be two On year six, we're going to have two engines blow, and every year two engines are going to blow," which you hopefully won't happen. We will have to probably make a more stringent um We might have to reach out to a couple companies about a maintenance program for like the undercarriage of them cuz
029you're going to be a lot more concerned if there's rust on something you own than as compared to something you don't. Um >> What kind of diagnostic stuff you guys going to need in that garage over there once they get over 5 years old to be able to, you know, any computers to plug into, right? That's that's obsolete. Are you kidding me? Oh, yeah. No, that that equipment 10 years ago is obsolete. I My mechanic right up the street here just paid $10,000 for a computer to plug into a car to tell him what's wrong with it. >> But again, if you wanted to you could treat it exactly like police. >> Like like what? >> You could treat it exactly like police. I'm trying I'm trying to Let me see if I'm explaining this
030to you guys. I like what we're talking about where we we start doing it so there's a few buses every year, but you could There's no difference, right? If I get a lease, I have to give it back at the end of 5 years. There's nothing stopping you from buying a new fleet every 5 years, but you sell the buses instead. The leasing company is not buying them at a loss. I can tell you that. So, in other words, we could go and so the the the lease is a is a loan for us, right? So, if I do a lease, it'll be it won't We're not going to get the lease price we used to get. It's going to go up to $415,000 a year from 300, right? So, how it works is we'll
031take a $2.5 million loan at a 3.6%. That's happening lease and buy, same thing, right? The difference is at the end of the lease, they're going to buy them back for us. Let's say I negotiate 60% higher cuz buses are 60% higher. They gave us 500 grand for these. Let's say I negotiate that they gave us 800 grand. So, we're going to pay Let's forget about interest for now. We're going to pay 2.5 for the buses, then they're going to give us 800 back. So, all in we're 1.7 million in, right? If you buy them, you pay 2.5 million plus interest. Now I own the buses at the end. If you think buses are going to continue going up even close to what they're going up now, instead of us selling them back to the
032leasing company for $800,000, cuz at that point, if they go up another 60%, new buses will be $3.1 million 5 years from now. I can sell them. I can probably sell them back to them for more than $800,000, because they have buyers on the line that want new diesel buses all the time. Right? So, I go out and now I get one or 1.2 million. I buy a new fleet. And now I'm $400,000 better off. Like, literally, you can do the same scenario, right? But, you have more flexibility under a purchase. Unless you think The only time it makes sense is if you think that buses are only going to go up with inflation, and you're not going to be able to extract that good of a price, or you think you're going to beat
033the heck out of them so much that they're not going to be worth what the leasing company gives them to you. But, you know they're worth what the leasing's company The leasing company is not They're not bad. I love them. I love the guy I work with. But, they're not like your buddy. They're not doing this as as a favor. Right? So, they also think the same thing. They're thinking, "I Well, if I get it for $800,000, I can sell them for more." You can do the same thing. >> Well, what's everybody saying? >> I think Right right now we have the option, I believe Correct me if I'm wrong, Tracy. We have the option to lease for a year. Even though we voted that said we were going to buy buses, but now that
034everything's changed in the state, we have the option to lease for 1 year. >> So, that would be the '27 '28. We can do 1-year lease without voter approval. And then after that, we have to go back out to the voters to either do purchase or lease. >> Well, you have time to get a vote at least vote in next year before 2027-2028 anyway. And I'm sure like I said, the company makes money off a lease, they will change it to a lease if you get that vote through. Cuz the bus we're getting the buses from no matter what. And it's a better deal for them. Do you see what I'm saying though? It's a better deal for them to lease. They'll gladly They'll gladly [clears throat] change it to a lease as long as
035we're getting buses from them. >> Maybe we need to sit down and write numbers more. You know, we owe it to to everybody to make sure that we're making the right fiscal decision to make sure that we don't >> Because buying buses is going to come with you know, we're okay replacing the fleet if you want we're going to go that route, but these guys are going to have to go for training. You know, they're going to have to be and and go ahead Misty. >> Obviously people is our financial person and he is the expert in the money. So, I cannot speak to any of the money argument. I just wanted to basically give you some of the off route logistics and all just some things that we have thought about that would change
036if we purchase. Um we're going to spend more no matter what we need to do. Obviously, it's our personal interest to keep the school safe. But just some things to think about as you're making this decision. Uh first of all, technology. For my two mechanics who work here, if we go to purchasing them, right now they do not have the skills to do the big jobs that they >> Keep breaking down. >> things like that. Really right now, for instance, taking out the air conditioner on a bus on a cold day snow or morning where they're calling Matthew's bus and next year they're going to be up here taking a little break. So, how will that change with a >> Cuz we're going to get that bumper to bumper warranty. That's the same for five
037years. Yes. >> But I'm talking about selling them at the end of five years and then buying new buses. >> Well, we haven't decided to do that. And we can't do that, then we keep them after 5 years, and they have to know what to do. >> Right. >> So, you have to be prepared for You have to be prepared for all scenarios. Yes. Right. Uh and we wouldn't do that. >> We need diagnostic equipment for the S and I said we have none. We need more than these four machines and our tools. We are very limited right now on what we have. Uh today I sent an email to Tracy Scott and Kayla just some pictures of underneath our buses for at 4 years and some of the corrosion and the rot that we
038experienced already just from the winter conditions that we have here and the salt that comes in. I think it would be my direction that I were to purchase them, obviously we want to keep them as long as we can. purchase them. We have no way to wash that salt and everything that gets on the buses underneath. So, currently we're not doing that. We don't have any more uh wash bay. So, in some way we're thinking we would need to purchase some type of wash bay system that we could possibly drive over and that all that be washed underneath. Do you think that that would certainly help with the longevity of the buses? Currently we don't have that. We just We looked up pricing on that is anywhere from 12 to 18,000 to have that. Uh
039like the downfall. So, depending on where we're at within that 5 years, if something major goes out that we can't talk about previously, we would send big things out to the company or whatever. We don't know how long that's going to take. Right now we're not the closest company to us, but we're pretty good about coming here quickly to get those things. We send it to a truck company and they "Yeah, get in line. We'll see you in 6 weeks." I don't know, but that's something to think about. If we go to purchase it, you have to be certain that you're going to stay to that rotation and that's slush fund of money because that's what got us here to leasing now. 10 years ago, we leased them for 10 years. Prior to that, we
040were on a rotation. We did two buses every year. Then we did one bus. We did no buses. >> Yep. >> No buses. >> That's what happened. >> And that got us to the problem that we have. >> Mhm. >> When that plan came into play, every year there was supposed to be money into that slush fund so that by the time we needed to purchase, we would have money to purchase. And that didn't happen. So, that's what got us to the lease to begin with. I would certainly like to see us not put all of our eggs in one basket at one time. I might be able to break up this. So, we're not buying 13 all at one time. How can we do that? I did reach out to Matthews Bus yesterday. The
041longest we can lease is 5 years. I was hoping they were going to say something different, like maybe you can lease 6 years or whatever. So, maybe after 5 years, half of them come back. At year 6, the other half come back, but 5 years is it. They won't do less, but they won't do more. >> Well, you could play with less then. I mean, that's a >> Do less. >> Do four and five. Like I mean, like as we're getting to three years or four years at the time of purchase, you can lease a couple of them then, you know, so you have kind of a mix. >> The other suggestion would be um at the end of the 5-year lease, we are entitled to buy back any of those buses. Maybe you give
042some thought to it. Okay, maybe we lease half of them and we keep half of them. at least that gets us started on the rotation of the buyback, and then all this purchasing isn't happening all in one year at one time. Does that save money in the end for us? I don't know. I can't answer that. That would be, you know, okay. Um but just a thought so that we don't try to now have it all be all in one year, giant purchase or a giant lease happening all at once, breaking it down. I think that would be helpful to us. Also, remember in the past when we owned our own buses, we had three full-time mechanics. Now we went to leasing, we went to two. Currently, one of my mechanics is a mechanic every
043day, or our other mechanic is saddled with driving a bus every day, both have runs, food runs, doing the mail. His time for mechanic-ing is very limited. I would say I say if you have two of them, I have 1.5 percent of a mechanic. That's probably how I would say. Okay? And you were like one and one. So if we're going to hold these buses after 5 years, you may need more mechanics. I don't know. I'll have to see, you know, how that works. Um lastly, real quick time. If you have your time and patience, and you have love in your hearts, you absolutely love school bus driving, and you love children who need you, come fill out an application. >> [laughter] >> We lost a driver last week. We are all every single person
044in my department other than the mechanics, you are a bus driver myself, we are driving every single day. We have applications up there. >> [laughter] >> Actually, we already have one on the way out. Whatever you decide, it's a tough decision, Really it is. There's just as many pros and cons on either side. Either way I go, we'll make it work. We're going to have to use the buses, but >> Yep. >> You got to think about the money. That's the biggest thing. >> If the bus goes down, do they bring you a bus? If the bus goes down, the lease company brings you a bus for >> past, yes. Absolutely they have. Right now we have more than enough for that past certification, but in the past they did do that for us, yes.
045>> Also, if um not to shoot against my own idea, but with the leasing company when they were late with our They were late with our buses, they let us keep the leased buses for free and then gave also, you know, still covered them in terms of repairs, maintenance, all that kind of stuff. >> It is It is money is all It is money is all banking on that the the the inflation's going to keep going up, which >> Well, I mean it's It went up now, but it may not. I'm I'm willing to stake large amounts of money that it won't be 2 or 3%. >> Well, we're not at We're not at a I I If I don't think we're at a You got a question, Kristen? >> Just I I don't want
046to be that guy, but can we hash this out when it's not like 100°? >> Well, that's fine. We we'll uh So, we're not uh at a position right now to to make a decision. >> Right. >> We'll We'll have to sit down and crunch numbers of everything and uh go from there. >> But, you know, we we had a vote out there and we have to you know, >> Cuz there were questions that were raised at >> Yeah, there were there were questions been raised about it and everything. So, it's it's a it's a hot topic. It's a hot subject. So. All right. >> Scott, >> Yes. >> the buses on order, we were able to get them on time. I reached out to Matthew and they said we're not sure what happened to
047our order. They didn't send them out either way, so at least you know we aren't getting the buses and you have time to make a decision. >> Okay. >> Yeah, well, you we we'd have to do a vote anyway, so you can't do that till next May. >> Right. Right. Okay. >> Well, I mean, we'd have to decide to go out to a vote way before May. Sorry, I didn't I was looking at Lisa and she's like, "Well, you can't decide in May. You're going to do it." >> Exactly. >> And thank you, Missy, for sharing all of that. >> Yeah. >> All righty. You were >> Yes, so I'm good. So, if we want to go ahead and hit the secondary. >> Yep. Secondary principal report. >> Okay, thank you. Um, you know, first
048off, thank you, Mr. Ferrer and the Board of Ed. You know, I'm looking forward to this move. I've truly appreciated my time at the Junior High School, but as you can see, I got three little kiddos over there and those of you who don't know, I was an elementary school teacher when I first started. So, thank you and I look forward to the you know, the opportunity. So, just wanted to say that real quick. But, with that being said, we have an exciting June that's taking place right now cuz I feel like I've been in a lot of things, but we're celebrating a lot of stuff and last night was great. We had the academic awards ceremony. I thought it was a really nice job. I want to thank Mrs. Counts and the EFA for
049doing a great job with the invitations, the refreshments, all that stuff. We recognized people in the National Junior Honor Society, the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society, and then students who achieved honor roll, high honor roll, and principal's list. In addition to that, we got some very cool awards from the University of Rochester and we also honored some students our our valedictorian and salutatorian and all that, which I'll talk about in a minute. Um, now on to the Regents exams, we held two Regents exams this week. On Tuesday, June 9th, was the English Language Arts one and then Wednesday, June 10th, was Algebra 2. And then all other exams will take place during the designated Regents week. So, it went pretty you know, those were new exams. So, our students took
050those and they took them in the library, which was air-conditioned, which was nice. And just a note about um the Regents, I'm going to try my best to put them in air-conditioned rooms, which means the library. Um and I think we might be able to accommodate that because obviously, as you can see from the gym right now, it's not uh it's not that cool in here. So, uh just want to let everybody know that. I want to say congratulations to Marissa Gashin Hour and James Dearman on being honored as an Eldredge Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Uh very good honor for them. Uh it was a great breakfast that we went to at Otter Kill. Uh I think that was last week, yes. Um congratulations to our band and chorus students for competing in NYSSMA. Heard
051some good things there. Um just a quick master schedule update. We are uh moving on along with the rotating drop schedule. Um I have a scheduling committee together. They've been instrumental uh doing everything with me. Um and it's just it's coming along nicely. We're working with a a company Sched Shape and putting everything in and then figuring out, you know, where everybody's assignments are going to be. Pretty confident that we're going to get a schedule uh a first draft next week, a master schedule for the junior high school. So, excited for that. Um and then the senior walk took place on Tuesday, June 9th at CRM. Always a great event um where the seniors go over there and uh a lot of them started at CRM. And it was it was it was it was
052very cool to see. And we did the kind time time capsule thing again where they the pre-Kers walk in or the kindergartners, I think it was, and then the seniors walk out. So, very cool. And then our valedictorian and salutatorian were uh supposed to be honored, but they were competing in track and in NYSSMA, so they didn't come to the academic awards with me, Mrs. Ferrera. We were there, though. Um but we do want to recognize uh Marissa as our valedictorian, Marissa Gashin Hour, and Calvin Smith as our salutatorian. So, uh looking forward to celebrating those ladies at graduation and all of our seniors. Then I went Then me and Mrs. Ferrera went to the Vo-Tech awards last week where RG Marchesan and Isabella Rosario received the from Career and Tech during their annual ceremony.
053Congratulations to them and then current tech graduation recognition night is scheduled for Tuesday June 23rd and then the big one the class of 2026 commencement ceremony is on Friday June 26th beginning at 6:00 p.m. at our football stadium and I look forward to that being there. We are going to rehearse that day. We're rehearsing side outside but all we're going to we're going to be outside. I'm confident. [snorts] So that's it for me. We got anybody got any questions for Mr. Coughlin? >> I just have one. What's going on with the e-pac performance that they were have been rehearsing for? >> So e-pac right now has has a lot of momentum and it's good momentum. Unfortunately they're probably going to carry that into the fall. At first you know we we we kind of knew
054this when we we've lost a lot of you know directors advisors things like that and you know Ali Gable Bleefeld stepped up to be a student director and you know she was very realistic in meeting with me and she met with me about four or five times and you know her mom Cherish Gable Bleefeld stepped up to be the advisor and they have been working very hard on a Mean Girls Junior production. Unfortunately just a lot of stuff is happening right now and a full production wasn't placed on June 12th. However that got that I was approached that had to get changed to possibly some short scenes it just right now the goal is to push that momentum into the fall and I think you'll get a very fine production out of that whole crew
055there for sure. So and you know we all year we were trying to kind of get something out there but unfortunately that's where we stand right now. >> I would really love it if as a district we could figure out ways that we can support the creative and fine arts more than what we do. It does feel like um yes, we would attend if the performance was happening, but the support needs to be more and throughout the year, not just in a final >> Well, I'm hoping speaking to um with Mr. Conklin is they the girls said or the group, we're trying, you know, they want to do in the fall. And actually, I'm like, that'd be great cuz that will give us a fall production we haven't had >> Right. >> [snorts] >> That
056will also kind of ignite, get some energy there, and we're and that I'm hoping I have also um put it out to the faculty for next year who would like to be the Alvin performing arts coordinator. So, um I'm you know, they have until June 22nd, and then we will start searching. And the unfortunate piece is the last time we had any production scheduled other than like what you and Laura's did with the, you know, we haven't been able to get past COVID. You know, as far as having somebody and we have gone through three um leaders, directors, um but because of unforeseen circumstances, family obligations, and it's just it's it's a I need somebody that has a passion. >> Mhm. >> For what now? And that and and it takes a lot of cuz
057it's a lot of work and time. So, I'm hoping that by pushing in the fall, that will kind of gather some of that passion cuz I grew up in the band. I was one of the performing arts kids, and I just it's difficult to raise it back up. >> Mhm. >> So. >> Yeah. >> I'm hoping. I'm always optimistic. >> I had I had a part in a play. I lost that. So, you know, I just >> Not me. >> [laughter] >> I was Mr. Duvall, principal, but you know, it's going to happen. So, you know, but uh yeah, we are, you know, there's some there's some energy there, and we're going to make it happen. So. >> And trying to also schedule it in between fall and winter sports so we can get more
058kids in without having to choose. >> Right. Which I understand, but that's part of the problem is that there is a lot of emphasis that is put on the sports programs because that is what is right now very strong here and that same amount of emphasis and support and dedication is not shown towards the arts as well. So, there are kids who are talented in both areas and kids who are talented in sports and kids who are talented in the arts. So, we have to make sure that we are also providing opportunities for them so that way we really have well-rounded students here. >> I agree. >> Do they have a show ready? >> They had it was going to be like a short scenes like almost like a vignette and so now they by
059doing it in the fall they can actually do the full performance of Mean Girls 2. >> I think a lot it might be beneficial for us to look at Sullivan County as a whole and the fine arts and see what's taking place at other schools and see if there's any collaboration opportunities as well. >> Yes. >> Um that's something that we talked about today, too. So, that'll be a great idea. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Any other discussion? Mr. Courtier. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Hallock. And again, I would just like to thank everybody here in this gymnasium. You've all had a part um in my journey here at GRM and as I told the faculty on Wednesday morning, yesterday morning, um you've made me a better leader um and we we
060all continue to improve our craft in what we do and I really appreciated my time here more than anyone really knows um and I will thank he's not here right now, but um Dr. Morgano and Tracy for giving me this opportunity to be the principal here at GRM. It has been wonderful to get to know everybody within this community. Um as we talk about EPAC, um you are a small school district, right? The problems aren't any bigger than anywhere else. You just have to come up with solutions together. And so that's really the most important thing. And so um with that, thank you to everyone. Um I'd like to congratulate my colleague Mike on uh being getting tenure tonight and also taking over for a great principal down at GRM. >> [laughter] >> It's quite
061a shoes to fill, exactly. But I am glad that it is you, Mr. C. Right, following along another Mr. C. So um please take care of everybody down there. All right, they're great people. You have great kids. And so I know you'll do great things. Um just really quickly on our attendance at GRM, we are going to come just slightly short of our goal of 95% attendance for the entire year. We're currently sitting at 94.56%. Um it is the highest attendance we've had over the last 5 years, so we continue to improve, um which is great. But for me, who is a goal setter who uh wants to win, um it's unfortunate cuz I thought this would be the year we'd get over it. Um there's a lot of mitigating factors for that, things that
062we control, things we don't control. Um but again, moving in the right direction, getting closer to that 95% um is really, really helpful. Um academically, we completed our STAR Reading Early Literacy benchmarks as well as our STAR Math um benchmarks, which show our students' growth. We've been able to show strong, steady growth across all grade levels in both ELA and Math. So that was a big positive. I'm really looking forward to seeing what our proficiency um percentages will be like in the summer when the state assessment scores come out. Um it's something I'm really looking forward to. The staff has worked extremely hard this year, um and really the goal is to be above the state average, and at a minimum, which we are in Math, but we're also above the state average in ELA.
063We want to have a minimum of be at least above 50% of our students proficient in uh ELA. Um I would like to um I don't know how to say this. I have two teachers here who are being granted tenure tonight. I have Mrs. Brown, our art teacher, and I have Mrs. Knight, our fifth grade um math and science teacher. Mrs. Brown has brought um choice-based art to GRM. It's wonderful for kids who may not always find everything within their art class something that they find interesting and so it gives them choice from someone who is not that artistic and Al and I have talked about this, um, you know, immensely. Um, we've always looked at the process and not the product. Um, and I really appreciate that, Allison. And I also appreciate all the
064artwork around the building as well. It's made it very vibrant. Um, to Alyssa, I really want to thank you, um, for the yearbook. You've taken over the yearbook this year and it's really been wonderful to watch. Um, not only the yearbook growth but your own growth within the yearbook, right? There were some things that we needed to, you know, figure out and clean up a little bit with the yearbook at GRM and you've done a great job with that and I appreciate [snorts] that. Um, those are the two that I have in my building and then also there's some important dates for the board to recognize. Um, we did have the senior walk at GRM on Tuesday. Um, Alyssa also, um, has brought the Star Lab with our third grade teacher Gina Reston and they
065went for training and the Star Lab is at GRM. We recognize now that June is not the best month for Star Lab >> [laughter] >> but it's not air conditioned, um, and it doesn't fit in our maker space because how the lights hang but we recognize that, we continue to do, um, our after action reviews to make it better year after year. And so now that they're trained, um, that's going to be a very very convenient for us at GRM. Uh, student council spirit week is coming up next week, the 15th through the 18th. Our third trimester academic awards will happen after our McKenzie Beginning Buzz, uh, on Monday, June 22nd. Our sixth grade moving up, which everyone is welcome to attend, is on June 24th and then on June 29th we have Oh, great.
066And then June 29th we'll have our pre-kindergarten and kindergarten screening for our new, uh, GRMers coming in. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Mr. Pompey. Are there any, uh, questions, discussion? >> I'll be attending sixth grade moving up. >> Great. Who? >> I just want Thank you so much. You'll be missed. >> Thank you very much. This is my I really appreciate >> Mr. Krebs, I'll just give you the bulleted items tonight since we have a couple other things we would like to get to shortly. I'm preparing curriculum orders for next school year. Um that's been quite cumbersome with the to make sure that we have everything in line for next year. We're organizing calendar dates. That's been a a lift that our leader and me group has really looked at making sure
067that both buildings have calendar dates that are aligned to all of the things that happen in the buildings. Um Solomon County set up two new meeting um locations for us to hold our data privacy officer. Each school district needs to have a data privacy officer, which I am for this district here and a data coordinator meeting, which is also my role here. So, I can bring back information to the district on both those areas. And then lastly, there's a lot of material that goes into Frontline that we keep our professional growth on. And at the end of the year, we're cleaning up that to make sure that we're ready to roll over all of our data for our staff um to start the school year July 1st. >> Good. Thank you, Mr. Krebbs. Any questions?
068Discussions? All good? Okay. >> Okay. Well, we talked about just about everything I was going to talk about >> Short and sweet then. >> Yeah, very short and sweet. So, the only thing I have left are the tax rates. As we talked about leasing versus financing, we talked about the real property tax rates that we are the real property tax exemptions, and we discussed all of the changes to tier six and all that. The only thing I had left on my report was the tax rates for Lumberland are going to go up 1.5%. Now, if you remember, we increased taxes 2.38. There's only going up 1.5 because of new properties. Highland added a lot of new property. Theirs is only going up 0.16%. Um Tusten, because the equalization rates the way they broke, Tusten's taxes
069are actually going down 1/2%. Deer Park, unfortunately, their equalization rate, their their property values went up quite a bit. So, their taxes are going up 5 and 1/2%. Um Deer Park has 39 parcels, so the vast majority of our district is going to be 1 and sub-1% tax increases. Um and those are pretty final numbers. The The only thing I'm waiting for the July 1st tax rolls, but yeah, they don't change much usually. >> Okay. >> And that's the only thing we didn't know for sure up there. >> All good? Mr. Amidor. >> Yes, sir. >> You're next, sir. >> So, Sullivan County BOCES is still waiting to hear about the study that is going on. Hopefully, this coming meeting will have some updates from them that I can report. >> I will send you
070a letter that is the report for BOCES. Are we good? You're staying on the BOCES board. >> Well, [snorts] all right. >> Well, you got to sign [laughter] one. >> I don't want to sign one of the boards. >> You got to sign one. >> You wouldn't know what to do if you weren't on one of the boards. >> Okay, at this time I'll take cup public comment on the consent agenda agenda items only. Public comment. >> It's all good? >> Okay. At this time, I'll take a motion to approve consent items 7.01 through 10.07. >> So moved by Dust. Second. >> I'll second. >> Second by Amidor. Discussion. Any questions on one of them, any of them? All good? All in favor? >> Aye. >> Very good. Old business to become to the board.
071Any any old business from anybody? All good? New business. I think there's plenty of new business coming to the board. >> You doing yours now? >> Yeah, you do yours. Okay. This time we have a plaque to give to Mr. Amador. Amador Laput has put 20 years of service on the school board. I'm at seven and I'm ready to leave. >> [laughter] >> He's put 20. He is We all know that we get paid very well to do this job up here. And he has given the new name of of uh >> Glutton for punishment? >> No, yeah. Uh dedication to public service that Amador has given a new name to. So, at this time Elgin Central School District Board of Education Retirement Award Amador Laput in recognition of 20 years of dedicated service as
072a member of the Board of Education with sincere appreciation for your leadership, commitment, and service to the community, and students of the district in recognition 2006 to 2026. Amador Laput. Good job. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Definitely given a new name to dedicated service. Absolutely. >> Okay, we'll moving on. >> So, and thank you for dealing with the heat. I have just a few things. First of all thank you Anthony for coming. We kind of made him. Any and I made him bring his family. So, Anthony as you know she he is retiring. He is leaving us, but he's definitely going to be missed. He was here before I came and I think we stole him from out of retirement from NYPD from Allied Security or what's a security company. So we Anthony is
073I monitor, um, aid, let's let's go find a kid, um, let's deliver letters, home school, whatever we need him to do, that's what Anthony does. So you will be so missed, but we do wish you luck, okay, but we do have something for you. WHO'S ANTHONY? >> [applause] [applause] >> GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND, ANTHONY. >> YES, [laughter] HE IS going on the senior trip. So he's not done yet. Um So I have first Allison Brown and I did write some things down. Um Last time I was in her classroom, I always enjoy going to the art classroom because there is a sense of calmness and there's creativity, but the last time I went in there I learned I could take an egg carton and turn it into a fantastical animal portrait. Kids were having fun
074with it. I've been in there several times and again it is about the process and not about the product and if they can choose what they want to do and it's just very it is an open and they do critical thinking skills and problem-based learning and it's just an amazing thing. So I just want to say thank you for joining the Eldridge family. We are glad to have you. >> [applause] >> So we have Miss Knight. I want to know is thank you for giving me math skills. Last time I went in her classroom and I and my one of my BFFs is a physics teacher, so she's always doing those meters. The meters and the grams, because that's what she does in her physics classroom. And so in I listen to last class or
075that I was in there, it I had I texted my friend. I was like, I know now how to do convert the numbers from millimeters, centimeters, decimeters, and I was having fun with it. So, thank you, cuz apparently at 54, that's when I learned how to do the meter conversion. So, I do appreciate that. And you know, you're an asset to our district. The kiddos are so lucky, and thank you for joining us and being with us. So, COME ON UP. SO, AMANDA GOT HER TENURE IN FEBRUARY, but I wanted to make sure she gets her apple. And I just want to say again, thank you for all of your hard work and your dedication to our students and families. Thank you for entertaining me at home football games, away football games, making sure I
076show up at the right place. Um and she gave me all my own special chaperone jacket. I really appreciate that. Um but thank you for being action team leader, a club leader, just a cheerleader. Hope Squad. So, thank you. >> [applause] >> And the last one is Mr. Conklin. You know, with our junior senior high school, you're not only your principal, you're a mentor, you're a coach, you're a hall monitor, you're a cafeteria monitor, you're a substitute teacher in several classes. Um so, I do appreciate it, and I'm so glad I got to finally meet the girls who are the light of his life. Even though Molly told me earlier night that she tells him what to do, and I can appreciate that being a fourth right female. So, thank you for joining us. Thank
077you for all of your hard work. I do appreciate it. >> [applause] >> Bus driver for one year. >> Oh, yes, and he was a bus driver, too. Along with And [snorts] I was to votech one trip. I was a bus driver, too, this year for one trip. Um I do have to um you know, again, thank you for becoming part of our family. Thank you for showing up every day for our kids, our families, and our community. And we do have you know, refreshments. And we do have coffee over there. I know it's 100°. So, we have ice. So, you can actually have ice coffee. Um and cupcakes and everything like that. So, that concludes that tenure. >> I have something, Scott. >> Go ahead, Wanda. >> Baccalaureate. So, baccalaureate is the service that
078we do for Eldred seniors. Uh this year, it's Monday, June 22nd at 6:00 p.m. at the Pond Eddy Methodist Church. That's uh Pastor Nancy Vander First Church. So, we're um we're hoping that all the seniors will come. And they have to select uh music. They have to select who's going to read. And um it'll be a good time. So, that's what I have. >> Two things. I want to thank everybody for the uh for the uh the vote for the support for the budget. It went through as always like 70 some percent, right? Phil? >> Uh >> 76%. And I personally want to thank Mr. Carpenter for a great job you've done for us for last 5 years. 6 years. How long have you been here? 5? >> 5 years. And we do appreciate you
079and everything you've done in in George Washington Academy. I think it's a better place since you've been here. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. And good luck out there. >> [laughter] >> At this time I will take public comment on anything anybody wants to talk about. Mrs. Counts. >> Sheridan Counts. I just want to let you know I'm speaking as a taxpayer and not in my union position right now. I was disappointed to hear that we are looking for a new administrator. The reason for my disappointment is just last year, I don't know if the board is aware of this, but we did have two elementary teachers retire and they were not replaced. >> [snorts] >> We're also moving to one kindergarten class with 23 to 24 students in there and [snorts] they're learning to read
080and they could be in smaller class sizes but we aren't looking for teachers yet we're willing to continue to keep the same number of administrators. So I would urge you to reconsider this decision. Thank you. >> Any other public comment? All good? At this time I will take a motion to enter into executive session about more contracts. Motion by Kristen. >> I'll second. >> Say goodbye. >> Next meeting will be held 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 here at the junior senior high school. >> And we'll not be doing business after executive session. >> be doing business after executive session. And thanks for coming everybody. Missy, thank you for coming out. Paul, Mike, thanks for coming out. Business, you know, you guys are where we're counts and that's what you are every day. So all
081right. Very good. Everybody be safe getting home. And there's refreshments over there.