001Pledge. Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thanks everyone for attending this evening. Um, we're going to get right in. We have a couple presentations tonight. The first one is from the Gloversville Public Library and turn it over to you. >> Thank you for having us tonight. Um we my name is Greg Moros. presidential public library, director of the library. I was just going to want to talk to you tonight briefly about our budget for the 2627 fiscal year. We vote for that coming up in May. Uh start off with some statistics from this past year. We over 50,000 visitors come into the library. uh we checked out 42,000 books and
002we had um 12,000 programs and meeting attended or 12,000 people attended programs and meetings at the library. So we have a lot of people coming in the building using it using it for different civic purposes. We had um every prek student, every third grade student come through the building third through the building already this year and we have all the first grade students plan to come in end of the end of April. So we'll have that. We also had Head Start students and students from Rainbow Plays will come through. So we have a lot of kids coming through and we're trying to get them acquainted with the library and what we offer and make make a resource for the city. I can would like >> I can take I can take this one on our
003future goals because that's currently what I'm working on. Um we our main goal is to um thoughtfully and responsibly uh work our way towards increasing our circulation and um operating hours. Some of you know we had to cut those back a couple of years ago when we uh had a budget loss, but we are responsibly trying to build that back one step at a time and make sure we do it in a way that supports the community. Um we want to reimagine our summer reading club. So, that is going to be happening this summer and I've already um spoken to Dave about it and um others about how we want it to be across the community with as many community stakeholders involved in it as possible. So, we are hoping that if we do the
004groundwork for the summer reading club um that the school district scholars will be able to hop on board. um also talking to Tessa about having the PTA um jump on board with it so that it really is a communitywide initiative. Uh we hope uh with if the uh budget passes this year that we can prov uh go back to opening our local history room on weekend hours. We're also embarking on um a big archival project to restore a lot of the damaged local history items that we have and that is being done with grant money, not with taxpayer money. Um, and although it's uh I'm working uh with the school district to get secondary school scholars on board, I was so delighted when uh Paulie Benjamin um called me at the beginning uh my job
005that was last summer and that seems like it was just yesterday about wanting to bring prek students on board. so so important um that they were there with their caregivers to see what we do and we had them from both Kingsboro and Park Teras. As Greg said, we also had some private nursery schools as well as district head start through there. So important. We had such a blast with third graders. They are so much fun and they kept us on our toes. They quizzed me about the Titanic. I don't know why, but that was very important to them. It was a hot topic. Uh, and we're looking forward at the end of the month to bring the first graders back. This is the second year for our first and third grade visits. Um, and so
006now we really want to focus on secondary school students and make sure that they understand that just because they're a little older, the library still um is a valuable resource for their research. Um, as well as for pleasure reading and other activities. So, I'm hoping uh we can partner up. I know it's harder once kids are in secondary school and they're not in a contained classroom, but maybe through annual projects um if the juniors do something every year that we can work in advance on just so they know that it is an extra resource in addition to what they have here at the school media center. So that is a goal. So we have students in preK, students in early elementary, students um in upper elementary, students in middle school and students in high school
007all coming once a year to visit the library and see how its resources um change as as they change as well. And one thing that's not on here is we are hoping um in the fall to uh institute um curbside hours which I know um is something we did back in the dark times. Um but right now we are closed on Sundays and Mondays and I would really like us to provide six days worth of service. Uh, and one of the ways I can do that with this budget is to provide curbside service on Monday so the community will have access to our materials six days a week. So, um, I would like to get us back to that place. So, those are all the the future the forwardlooking things that we're we're hoping to
008do. Um so our proposed budget for 2627 the total budget is uh 1,115,388. Our tax levy uh proposal is 96,388. The rest of the funding comes from the public library foundation, friends of the public library. Uh and then grants and donations from various sources $29,000 making a balance. Um, here's a breakdown of our line items here. The biggest line items are always staff salaries and benefits. That includes pension and health insurance and maintenance, service, and contracts. And then that also includes electricity and gas and stuff, which is going way up. So any increase we have, it's not quite as much now that electricity is is way up. And then we're trying to also add back to the collections budget as well. we took away from and we had to cut back. So, we've added some
009money back into that collection which allow us to buy more children's books, uh, bring back some periodicals and newspapers that have been cut that people have been asking for. So, we're open that back in the New York Times couple days a week and >> New York Times a couple days a week. And we're looking for to bring the Times Union back >> more of that. And then the breakdown of our income, the tax lever, like I said, $96,000. And then the breakdown of the rest of the donations and income from there. This is very approximate because the tax rates are from last year, but this is how the tax rate per $1,000 will break down. The city larger will be 93 94 cents per thousand dollars. breakdown. These aren't final until Kathy says they are
010in August when when the final uh uh what I'm looking for >> equalization rate. Yes, they uh will be set. So that's very approximate of roughly what what the cost would be per $1,000 of assessed value. Why why is increase in tax levy necessary? uh increase the in levy necessary to reinstate library hours um provide the requested vital programs and services for all residents and to safely staff and maintain library needs. That's you know cost of things continually going up and the tax levy increase is really one way that we only way that we can kind of keep up with with the growing cost of electric everything electricity and wages and staff. How will this affect my library taxes? I the average tax rate will be approximately $144 per $1,000 a weighted average of all
011those tax rates and then the average tax on $100,000 assessed value be between 93 and $259 per household per the increase be approximately $30 which the equal cost of one standard hard coverver book. So come to the library more than once and take up two books. You made your money back. >> Sure. >> Uh why not use more foundation money? Uh see more grants, donations, charge for library cards, etc. Um so the foundation money we get $144,000 from them per year. Um and the foundation is set up to support the library in perpetuity. So the more we take from them now, the less they have for their endowment to grow and and to continue to realize gains on any investments and support the library long term. Um so the the amount that we're taking the
012foundation is giving us is basically a very sustainable level for them to continue growing their endowment as well as supporting the library. Uh in the past four years, libraries obtained more than 45 public and private grants for specific programs, infrastructure repairs. We're continuing to to uh seek grants and donations, and you know, but it's not realistic that these alone can fund library operations, and they're often tied to specific items. So, we can't use them for anything. They're for programming or for materials, things like that. We can't use them for general operating expenses. can't charge for library cards against the law. And then uh since we are a civil service, we can't use volunteers for any civil service required position. So that's why we don't use more volunteers. Why should I support the library if I
013don't if I don't use it? >> Sorry about that. >> Free access to resources and programs. Uh we have a vast collection of of print and e resources as well as in person virtual programs that you can attend online or come into the library. We are a community hub supporting community initiatives every day. There's some community group meeting at the library from the PTA, the clerg education foundation, captain, number of community organizations meet there and have events there as well. technology access, digital literacy, an increasingly digital world and providing that resource for people that may not have it elsewhere is very important. And then preservation of knowledge, you know, we're that's what the library core function is. Uh preservation knowledge and sharing that and being a repository of of that information, especially our local history
014room, which is the only one of its type in the area for any library. We have historical records, cultural artifacts, as well as resources for research and projects like that. And then uh safe and inclusive spaces. We're, you know, a safe, welcome environment for everybody. Anybody's welcome to come to the library. You don't have to be a card carrying library member. You're welcome to come in, hang out, use our internet, read our books, read our magazines, uh just has a safe space. We don't have a safe space elsewhere or just want to get out and enjoy some new spaces. And like I said before, we're a essential community resource. Our goal over the last couple years has been the hub and spoke. We want to be the center of the wheel connecting us to other
015groups, connecting other groups to each other and having that all weave through the library is using us as a resource, as a hub of of information and networking. Yes, if you have any questions, you can email library at thegpls.info. We also are doing our full budget presentation on April 15th ahead of our board meeting that's at six o'clock. After that presentation, all this material will be available on our website. You can also check on Facebook. We'll have links to that as well on on there. And that's all I >> Come on down. Uh the week of April 22nd, we are having love library love my library week culminating with um Love My Library reception on April 22nd. Uh 5:30. >> No. >> 6:00 to 7:30. It's open reception. We'll be celebrating our local issue room
016and showcasing that as well as giving some tours and >> yeah getting people with >> We have a presentation um by by the glove. We have a presentation. Um it's going to be interactive trivia about the glove. Uh the local history room is going to be open. We have local history exhibits from the Fulton County Museum as well as um HFM Bosey's PEC uh students who have been working on local history projects as well. And there's free food. >> I'll invite Come on down and enjoy that. >> Thank you. >> Questions? >> Thank you. Thank you. Good luck in the budget. >> Thank you. >> Presenting to Kathy. >> Pardon me. >> All right. >> Thank you, Kathy. >> You're welcome. >> No problem. >> Next item, we have a budget presentation and it over
017here to save me. Good evening. Welcome to tonight's presentation of the 202627 Gloversville Enlarge School District proposed budget. The total proposed budget of 82,59,972 is an increase from last year of 4.4 4 million or 5.7%. That was scary. This slide represents the summary of changes to the proposed budget. The expenses are categorized by the grouping of accounts used by the New York State Controllers's Office. The general support codes are those that provide administrative services, buildings and grounds, legal, property and student accident insurance, board of education, superintendent office, business office, etc. There is an additional position in the business office. Increases in legal fees, auditing fees, electricity costs, and the salary increases for the non-instructional bargaining unit members whose salaries are part of this group of account codes. General teaching codes are those that directly affect
018the scholars, teaching, library, media, athletics, occupational education, etc. The board of education and the CSEA bargaining unit have reached a tenative agreement that provides for a generous salary benefits package that will bring the salaries in line with those of other districts within our Boseies and help with the recruitment and retention of non-instructional employees. The district will begin the arduous process of transferring the old records from paper to electronic with a cost included in this group as well. This is a Bosey's coaster and will be aided in the 2728 school year. Our IT director is working on quotes to upgrade the district's phone system. This will eliminate the need to use Boseies for voice over IP services and save the district approximately $60,000 annually. The cost of the upgrade is part of the proposition that will
019be paid for with funds from the technology reserve. In line with the board of education's directive to provide additional opportunities to scholars that may not be collegebound and the new requirements of the New York State Education Department's portrait of a graduate, the district has committed to 33 early career and technical education slots for September. This is a new program that Christina Lias played a critical role in developing and provides a pathway for scholars in grades nine and 10 to explore three new pathways. Introduction to health and human services, introduction to construction, and introduction to public service. These classes will give scholars a chance to experience hands-on learning in a non-traditional setting, which is some what some of our scholars need to succeed. Special education is also part of this group of account codes and just
020under $2 million of the increase is due to the number of scholars that require Boseis private and residential placements. Oh dear, sorry about that. Oh, I don't know. Go back. Um, for reference, our residential placement is over $200,000. Enrollment projections for September are also indicating that five incoming kindergarten scholars will need to be in a Boseis program or private placement. These costs average 70 to $85,000 depending on the program. On a positive note, in 2027 28 school year, the district will receive state aid on a portion of these costs. Because the aid is based on prior year expenses, these costs need to be budgeted in 2627. Transportation costs are down slightly with two years of providing our own transportation services. The analysis of expenses is more fine-tuned. Transportation aid is also based on expenses. So,
021it's critical to be as accurate as possible when projecting these costs. There is still a line item for contract transportation, but it is less than prior years as our transportation department has been able to provide transportation to a majority of scholars requiring it. This is for circumstances where an out of district scholar may need specialized transportation services that just can't be done with in-house staff. In the current school year, there is only one such case. Fringe benefits are up just over $1.5 million. This is due in large part to the increase in the New York State employee retirement system costs that are based on non-instructional salaries. As salaries increase, so does the cost of retirement and social security for the district. Health insurance rates for the various plans offered to employees averaged around 10% this
022year, which is amazing based on the cost of prescription drugs and healthcare in general. Debt service figures are provided by our fiscal adviserss and have increased by less than $50,000 proposed revenue. Sorry about that. The tax cap is 2.26% representing a $369,87 increase to the tax levy. The state budget still has not been passed, but Governor Hok's proposed figures have been used for projecting state aid. Transfer from debt is also provided by our fiscal adviserss and represents the local share of debt service that is transferred from a reserve that is specifically for this purpose. Other revenue represents interest income, property rental, utility taxes, Medicaid reimbursement, Bosey's refund, and prior year expenses and a handful of others. Fund balance is projected to be approximately 4 1 million or an increase of 2.2 million. This 4.1 million
023represents approximately 25% of our current fund balance. But I am optimistic that the 1.3 that we earmarked for 2526 will not be used. The board of education reviews fund balance use to help alleviate the burden to taxpayers. If there were no fund balance to use, the tax levy would need to be raised to cover the difference between revenues and expenditures. There are three board of education vacancies for terms three for terms of three years each and one to serve a two-year term. The public library has one trustee vacancy for a three-year term. Petitions are available in the business office or at the Gloversville Public Library weekdays between 7:30 and 3:30 and requires signatures of 100 qualified voters within the district. You don't need to be a registered voter to sign a petition, but you need
024to be a qualified voter within the district. If you have questions about what is a qualified voter, give me a call or you can look at our website. Petitions are due to the election clerk no later than April 28th at 5:00 pm and they can be dropped off in our office. There will be three additional propositions on the ballot in addition to the approval of the respective budgets. None of these propositions will affect the tax levy as all expenditures will be funded with various capital reserve funds that have been established. We are looking to purchase 36 passenger buses, one Caterpillar model 9838 wheel loader from the school bus and vehicle capital reserve. We are going to purchase a large printer and upgrades to the district's phone system, which I uh alluded to earlier, from the
025technology capital reserve fund and the purchase of classroom furniture and storage cabinets from the furniture fixtures and equipment capital reserve fund. Just as a reminder, the budget votes, propositions, and election of board of education members and public library trustees will be held on Tuesday, May 19th, between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the Gloversville High School Gymnasium in Bleer Town Hall. If you have any questions about the budget, about voting, about the elections, please give me a call 775-5706 or see me at gdk12.org. Thank you for your time. Do you have any questions? Any questions? Kath, I have one question. Uh the debt uh service, any projections on next year whether it would go back up with that following up. >> Um well, we're probably going to be projecting um borrowings and
026we're probably going to have to do a ban for the um new project. So, I'm just probably I'm not sure. >> Okay. >> Um I could ask uh I can ask the Tim's group. >> I was curious if it would go back to where it was. >> Yeah, it's up and down. It's um and if we use from the capital reserve fund. It affects our tax cap also. So I think they're try they try to be very conservative as to what they estimate we're going to use service reserve funds for. >> Nice job. I know it hasn't been an easy year especially without having a state budget. >> Yeah, >> that's for sure. All right, next item. We have public comment. Anybody here for public comment this evening? Oh, >> Margie. >> I'm Margie Fagel.
027I am president of the Gloversville Teachers Association. Two weekends ago, we held uh my favorite event, uh the clothing and book giveaway. Um, I have two people, Luke Horton and Jen Ley, who organized and ran the whole event. Um, volunteers from the high school, as well as teachers came to lay out clothing, set up clothing, and books, and have everything ready. Um, and a huge thank you to the numerous teachers and staff members who donated gently used clothing that we could give back to our community. It was wildly successful as it is every year and we look forward to it next year as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Anybody else tonight? Public comments. >> All right. Move along to the next item. We have the board of education minutes from the
028March 4th meeting. Motion to approve those by John, seconded by Kelly. Anybody have any questions, comments, concerns on those? Wonderful. Motion to approve that. Five eyes. Does anybody have anything else for board discussion tonight? All right. Move on to the next item, which be the superintendent report. >> Okay. Good evening everybody. Um on tonight's agenda, we have a lot of things on tonight's agenda, but a couple things I want to point out as they do each month. Uh we have donations. We have uh toiletry items are donated by Teresa Bushy and Alicia Parici for the Mckin Vento Scholar. So, thank you uh for that generous donation. We also have $2,000 donated from Derek Margaret Brown to be used for the backpack program. We have several retirements on tonight's agenda. Dwayne Hex, special education teacher at
029Gloss Middle School, 25 years, and Shannon Wadsworth, special ed at Boulevard, 26 years. thank them for their many years of service, wish them a long, healthy, happy retirement. Um, we also have a lot of uh tenure appointments on tonight's agenda and some new hires and we even have some people with us tonight. Uh, in the back on the left, we have Jenna Coutant Walker and is a special education teacher at Boulevard and is receiving tenure tonight. She's the only tenure uh person in attendance tonight. And I do tell them they don't need to come. I invite him, but I said it's not held against superintendent. We appreciate you being here and congratulations. >> Welcome. >> Uh, we also have two new hires with us tonight. We have a number of new hires on tonight's agenda,
030but um, Matthew Martin, an occupational therapist in the back. Appreciate Matthew being here. Matthew's coming to us from Cobalt Skill and uh, look forward to having him start. He's actually going to start in May, correct? Early May. And uh we have Zoe Perry, our new social workers with us tonight. One of our two new social workers. Uh Zoe's at Park Terrace with a uh affiliate agency now and that is where she will be housed come September. So welcome aboard both of you. Um just to you know touch on the budget, you know, Kathy I think does a great job every year uh putting this budget together and I hope the community realizes all those things she talked about being purchased through reserves. That's that's smart fiscal planning because all that whether it's technology equipment, whether
031it's equipment for schools or bills and grounds, 980 front loaders, caterpillars are not cheap. But the fact that we are not going to the taxpayers to purchase those things that you need when you have parking lots the size of ours, our equipment gets old, it gets used quite a bit. and uh the fact that we're able to make large ticket items like that, buses out of the transportation reserves, it's a it's a credit to the sound fiscal planning that I think Kathy and the board of education in particular has done for years and this community has supported our budgets throughout the years recognizing that um sometimes there's an eb and flow. Sometimes you need to uh to spend some money to be competitive with labor. Um, you know, when I look at the budget, that's
032obviously the special education cost, roughly 40% of the increase. Those are things that are out of our control. Um, you know, you can say why. Uh, I don't have the answer for that. There's a lot of people have opinions as to what's causing the the surge in in special education costs or even just the pure numbers and the needs that children are coming to us with. But, uh, you know, we we don't play the hand we wish we were dealt. We play the hand we're dealt to the best of our ability. and every young uh scholar deserves the best opportunity we can provide them uh regardless of what limitations or perceived limitations it may seem in front of them. So uh I really appreciate this district's uh commitment to provide the best educational opportunities for
033those kids. Some of those need to be out of district and people get stunned at the cost of educating certain children. Well, if you have significant needs, schools, regular public schools aren't always equipped to educate those students appropriately. So, it's it's it's sad. Sometimes we're putting our neediest children on buses to the capital district. Um there's districts further from the capital region than we are who do the same thing every day. Um, I've always said that it'd be great if we could ever uh find a way to provide services to the neediest scholars in our region much closer than the capital district, but it's just not the reality. So, um, the transportation costs go up because of that and obviously the program costs and 40% of this increase is due to special education needs alone.
034Obviously the energy increases uh wages um to be competitive because the workforce it doesn't matter whether you're public education or private sector uh the workforce is not there. The people are retiring almost 2 to1 compared to those entering the workforce. It's why they talk about the importance of artificial intelligence and the role it's going to play in the future because uh the workforce is shrinking. It's not a a mystery. It's just pure economics numbers. There's two people retiring for every person who's entering the workforce. So, there's going to be a labor shortage. That said, public education is a very labor intensive field. People send us their children. They expect us to uh get them back to them in the same manner, shape, form they got they sent them to us. That therefore uh you're going
035to need a lot of people to supervise 2,600 children. And I hope uh taxpayers realize that it's not we we take our fiscal responsibilities very serious. Um, when you see a significant increase in the budget, I I encourage anybody to come talk to us, ask questions, call, and we'll be happy to order or to go through it and discuss it. But I think this district is is as fiscally uh responsible as any that I've worked in or any that I know of in this region. Well done, Kathy, and well done board of education over the years. Um just to talk about the literacy partnership um the library spoke to um this month the PTA is launching a park program pick a reading partner. They are the lead agency. Uh Tessa and I did a video
036the other day. I think it just got posted. Just got posted. Um that was fun. She's did another one with Courtney Wood today. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um we obviously literacy is a cornerstone of anybody's any child's academic success and frankly success in in life beyond graduation. Uh it's difficult to be successful without having strong literacy skills. It's something that uh we've struggled to over the years to get the rates where we think they uh need to be in our district. And I think it's really important that parents and guardians recognize how important their role is in helping young children literally from birth to uh to middle school to really encourage reading in your home. Read with your child talk to them. That talk in his teaching initiative that the Glovers Education Foundation with Nancy
037Brown uh really launched a little free libraries. the work being done with the uh Glover as a public library, PTA, obviously the district's uh efforts to really encourage literacy in our community and to really build the capacity within our parents and guardians to recognize how important their role is in all this. They are the first and most important teacher any child has. I think all of us who are parents uh recognize and know that I'm not reading to my children anymore, but I certainly did when they were young. uh every night, even when I didn't want to, I did it because it was what you're supposed to do. And by the time you're done, you're glad you did it. So, I certainly encourage every young parent in our community, guardian, grandparent, uncle, whoever, uh read
038with children. It's it's a it's the biggest it's the best gift you could ever give them in life is the ability to educate themselves. So looking forward to seeing the partnership with those agencies, the foundation, the glovers of the library and the PTA uh with the district working in concert to help uh shine a spotlight on literacy in our community. Hiring update I mentioned a couple of the people that are here with us today. Uh we also have hired uh we have a special education teacher and a science teacher on tonight's agenda and we are uh positions are posted. We are continuing to interview. We should have another science teacher at the next agenda. Uh we have a gentleman who accepted another science teacher who accepted a job uh but was just unable to get
039his fingerprinting done. So he's not on tonight's agenda. But uh we're happy to secure those positions because I've talked about it for years now. It's becoming increasingly difficult to hire uh certain certifications. And when you're able to secure people who you think are going to be impactful and and uh very uh effective at teaching, pretty excited about that. I'm going to pass around a couple of images. One of the things this about the capital project. Um had a conversation with Turn of Construction CSRs the other day and you're looking at the staircase up in the middle school. Uh you're a rendition with the current staircase and a rendition without it. The point being uh the state education department is going to make us enclose that. So we don't need that staircase. There's four other egresses
040out of that second story. And if we took that staircase out, we could fill in that that hole in the ground, put furniture in there, kind of like they have in the high school where it's kind of like a lounge area. Uh we think it would be much better for pedestrian traffic. We think it'd be a nice area for PE kids during the school day or for concerts, people who need to take a phone call or visit afterwards. And it would be far more cost effective to remove that staircase than to try to enclose it. We enclose it. We still have that pit. Um, I told the architects and uh to earmark it for removal unless the board of education wishes to hold on to that staircase in its current form, which is it'll end
041up being closed. If and it's going to cost us far more to enclose it than it would be to remove it and fill that in. Any thoughts on that? If you disagree with me, then that's fine. You are the board of education. >> I mean, I work in the building and I've seen, you know, all the different options you have to get up down the stairs. I don't I don't think that's a needed staircase. I mean, to me, it seems logical. You know, we have four other student staircases as well as a fifth staff staircase that is accessible. So, to me, I think that that's plenty of different options to get up down the stairs. Um, you know, only the center of the building is even has an upstairs to it. You know, all the
042wings don't have an upstairs. So, it's really a small area that that we have four staircases to. So, I think it makes a lot of sense to to remove it. >> Any other get rid of it. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Um, also we working on branding. I don't know if you Travis had contacted us a while ago about trying to do a better job of branding our middle school and, you know, having Rowan play basketball this past year. I was in 10 or 15 different schools uh, over the last few years. And you certainly see that some districts have done a great job branding their school districts. Trip Bailey playing basketball knows what I'm talking about. when you walk in, you see uh whether it's their logos or or TV monitors where you
043can look through past uh sports teams that have been successful or hall of fames that are unrelated to athletics, but just you can see some schools really pop. Uh and that's one of the things that's it's I don't think it's that expensive. It's something we think we can do in this project. And uh we actually talked to all the principles of all five schools uh to try to do not necessarily inundate the entire buildings with logos and signage but uh higher traffic areas and at least like the main areas where visitors would come to in each building. I just want to make sure that's something the board of education supports. It would not be a big ticket item. It's literally just something that we would continue to earmark for the project. any thoughts or if
044you want to uh be part of uh picking what is going to go in each building more than happy to hear your position on the matter. But we're thinking the G and other uh whether it's imagery. I know we talked about the little huskys and dragons that Nicole found on AI or using AI. Did you develop that, Nicole? >> Well, Holly and I wanted it and then I think Chris worked his magic. >> Chris did. All right. Yeah, Dr. Jesse is under the weather a little bit tonight, but uh I'm sure he'll watch this meeting, so we'll give him credit for it. But it's a cute little picture of a little husky and a little dragon and obviously little babies. And we're talking about using that imagery uh in our primary schools. So, I think
045that would be pretty cool. So, anyhow, uh as we as that progresses, I will make sure the board has seen what we're thinking about. So in case you bulk before it's uh put onto a pillar or a wall, you'll have that opportunity. >> Dave, will will students have um some say in this? >> That's a good question. Uh we have not talked about uh at this point bringing students in, but I certainly especially at the secondary level don't have a you know, one of the things we want to do is be consistent. So, uh, this is something that's going to be there for a long time. But, uh, so some of our current use of of of, uh, marketing, we want to be consistent with that. But, yeah, I'm receptive to to hearing what students
046have to say or what they think that would be good. Bailey, you have an opinion on it? >> Um, I think that the student thing would be very nice to have. I think that there's a lot of kids that could benefit from that and have their voice heard. I think that would be appreciated. >> Okay, Cody. two students. >> Okay, perfect. >> Bailey runs the agenda >> and maybe isn't here, but he's the one who brought it to us. So, we'll ask him to include the middle school scholars as well and Brian and obviously the elementary primary buildings. You can talk to them, see if they like it. I guess um but obviously staff members as well, you know, if you want to put it out to staff members to hear some different ideas and
047certainly receptive to hearing from both instructional, noninstructional staff members. Um CSA negotiations, Kathy spoke to that. Uh there is a tenative agreement and they are meeting on the 16th, I think, to discuss it and then probably the week after they'll be voting on it. So we hope to have that in front of the board possibly at that uh short meeting we have at the end of April. Uh if not, it would be the early May meeting. But uh that was a smooth negotiation process. As Kathy said, there's some uh efforts to to be more competitive uh in our region. We're not looking to be the top of the guide. We're not looking to be at the bottom of the guide either, but uh we're striving to be roughly in the top third of the HFM
048Boseies. We think that that's about that's appropriate place for global to be. So I can discuss more of that executive session. And uh one of the things that I talked to the board about, especially Rob, was having something possibly uh on this budget vote about reducing the board seats from 9 to 7. Rob told me that the board was not in favor of that. Um and obviously I hope you know why I was suggesting it is because you know if one more board member could be here today, we wouldn't have a quorum. We would have to cancel this meeting. So, um, there's not, uh, this, we've never had an issue in the seven years. This is my eighth year. We've never had an issue populating this board with nine people. So, I don't think it's
049critical. I'm not saying you got to do this because we're not going to be able to have a quorum. We've never skipped a meeting, never canled the meeting because of quorum. So, if the board wants to stay at 9, that's fine. I was just curious with the rationale because Aaron Morris, our our attorney, she was like, there's districts far bigger than you that are at seven members. less people feel the civic call to duty, frankly. Um, and she was shocked that we continue to have nine. So, in my conversations uh with her, I just like to be able to tell her why the board does not want to reduce to seven. Any thoughts on that? >> For me personally, I I like the idea of nine people because I think that just gives you more
050perspective, different ideas. Um, more representation in the community. Um, and as you said, you know, I think I just said, is this going to be my fourth term I'm running for? I don't ever remember really issues with forum. I think that the people I've served with um all these years, unless it's work related, they're here. And as you said, we've never canled. So, I didn't see um a reason to have to change it. I know Kevin feels the same way. He he made it clear to me. So >> I mean the other thing too I didn't really care for and I mentioned this a little bit was just the the way it would be done the three three then one. So two years you have three people um you know being elected and then the
051third year you only have one person being elected. I just I didn't personally like the flow of how it flows. I just feel like you may lose a high quality board member because you only have one open seat. Yeah, if it was like 322. I mean, I know it's hard to set that out, but I just I was really concerned about losing quality board members because in that year, you only have one one elected seat. So, for me, that was another another piece of it. But like Sharon said, I agree with what Sharon said as well. >> Yeah. >> Okay. As of right now, I know that I think there's uh there's been any petitions picked up besides >> besides incumbents. >> Yes. >> Go ahead. Um today Jill I can say Jillian Santiago picked
052one up today. >> Okay. Okay. All right then. Uh we're staying at nine. Obviously we will be at nine anyway next year. We be take picked to the year after but we pulled it. So we are not voting on that tonight. So we're staying at nine unless something drastic happens. Uh that concludes my report and I do need executive session to talk about personnel and contact negotiations. Any questions for me? >> All right. Thank you. Move on to the next item, the student board member report. >> Sorry for my absence. Um I just have a few things for tonight. Just uh things that happened in the month of uh March. Um so NHS had their annual blood drive for the spring on March 10th and we had 13 people give blood this spring. Um it's
053a little bit lower than the fall, but I think just a seasonal thing. Um, on Friday, March 20th at 700 p.m. we had our threeon-ree basketball tournament. It was open to all students at GHS. Um, it was $16 a team, so four it was four player team, so $4 a person. And all the proceeds went to the St. Baldick's um nonprofit organization that supports childlike blood cancer. So, we offered haircuts for $5 by our hall monitor, Gracie. And all those proceeds also went to um this nonprofit organization. and we raised $683 which beat our total from last year which was 661. And last year we just did a hat hat day at school and people just um I think it was a dollar or two to just wear a hat at school. So we thought
054this was like more of an inclusive um event that the community could come to and watch and we had raffle tickets um 50/50. Um it was really fun. Next I have the Ronald McDonald readathon at Boulevard that was March 26th of last week. Um it was NHS students that came to Boulevard. We had the privilege of reading to students. Um and we emphasized the importance of reading. Um I read to a few classrooms. I had a lot of fun and I think the kids highly enjoy coming um and seeing all these high schoolers come in and interact with them. Um and I have a pleasure of coming down and seeing all the students. And then lastly, I just wanted to um shed some light on our athletic trainer Jesse Yuslowski because he's done so much
055for Gloversville and it's um National Athletic Trainers um month. So, I just wanted to give some light on that because he's very unappreciated and um I'm a student taking his college class. So, I see a lot of the inside scoop of what he does um kind of behind the scenes and it's surprising how much he does. So, I just wanted to give some light on that and I think that he deserves a lot of recognition um because he contributes a lot to our school and I'm really thankful for him. So, yeah, that's all I have. >> Thank you. >> Anybody have any questions? >> Thank you. All right. Next, we have recommended items 7.01 through 72.09. Anybody need anything bold? Oh. Motion to approve by Kelly. Seconded by Sharon. All in favor for that. One,
056two, three. Look at that. All five of them. All right. And then a motion to go into executive session. Discuss contracting personnel. It motion by E. by John. All in favor of that. >> 5 nothing. All right. Thank you everyone for coming tonight. There'll be no action taken afterwards.