001Thank you everybody for joining us here this evening at our monthly business meeting here on June 16th. Uh I would ask everybody to join me in the pledge. [Music] I pledge allegiance 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. So, this is always a wonderful meeting when we have all of our retirees and tenure awardees joining us to be recognized. Uh, and we welldeserved recognition for all of them. I'm going to turn it over to Superintendent Dave. Thank you, Jim. Uh so to recognize our uh retirees, we're going to uh call down our uh principles and directors of um their respective buildings and departments uh to say a few nice words uh about uh our
002retirees. Uh so we are going to start with uh Principal Wilhelm uh for CCHS. Okay, I'm going to start tonight with Mr. Matt Cook. Since the beginning of his career in 1995, Matt has been a passionate and committed educator teaching global studies and economics while also introducing AP world history, AP macroeconomics, and military history to enrich our curriculum. He's been a trusted adviser for the Youth and Government Club since 1999 and has led our academic team, Quizbowl, in back-to-back championships in the final years of his career. Matt has served in leadership roles within the CCTA, including as a building rep and second vice president, and he played an instrumental role on the design committee that helped bring our current high school to life. His team teaching partnership with Mrs. Dinardo in recent years was a
003meaningful highlight in Matt's career and speaks to his commitment to collaboration and continuous growth. Mr. Mr. Cook's deep connection to students and families has been the most meaningful and fulfilling aspect of his work. Many have shared how profoundly he has impacted their lives with some former students even pursuing careers in education and economics because of his influence. Matt's presence, professionalism, and genuine passion have left an enduring mark on our school community, and we are truly grateful for the legacy he leaves behind. One of my favorite things to witness has been Matt strolling through community lunch, clearly enjoying watching our students interact, laugh, and just be themselves. His love for his students shining through in his actions. We wish him nothing but happiness, purpose, and well-deserved rest in this exciting next chapter. Congratulations, Matt. [Applause] Next
004up is Brian Cedon. Brian Cedon is a cornerstone of Cornwall Central High School, whose impact spans over three decades. Brian's path to education was anything but traditional. After earning a business degree and running a construction company, a help wanted ad for a coaching job here in 1990 changed everything. What began as a way to stay connected to track and field soon became a lifelong career in education. He joined the teaching staff in 1992 and since then has worn countless hats. Teacher, department chair, coach, senior class adviser, school store manager, union leader, comproller, and so much more. Brian has coached three sports seasons a year for 35 years. He's mentored national champions and helped shape programs and policies that have improved the experiences for both students and staff. He was also instrumental in the implementation of
005our new drop rotation and community lunch schedule, staying on until he saw this long awaited change through. Personally, I've had the privilege of working alongside Brian my entire career, and he's been one of the most trusted sounding boards. His wisdom, humor, and unwavering commitment to CCHS has left a permanent mark on this school and its staff. Outside of school, Brian is a devoted husband, proud father, and soontobe father of the groom. He's heading into retirement with plans to return to construction, to keep coaching, and to travel with his wife, Dawn, and their motor home. Brian may be retiring from the classroom, but his influence will be felt in the halls for years to come. Thank you, Brian. [Applause] Next up, uh, we'll have Mrs. Palumbo for the middle school. Tonight, I'm proud to speak about
006Brenda Wright. Brenda was hired as a math teacher at Cornwall Central High School in 1999. In 2003, when this high school opened at Dragon Drive, Brenda remained at the new CCMS and transitioned to a teacher leader, teaching grade eight math and algebra. Throughout Brenda's extensive career, she has been present for the constant evolution of the educational landscape. Steadfastly observing the parade of new tools, new technologies, new standards, and new requirements as each and everyone emerged. It's truly remarkable how she led her colleagues, her community, and her students as they navigated the important world events that unfolded around them during her tenure. Through it all, Brenda's vision for not just math, but her department, her grade level teams, and buildingwide colleagues remained impressively unwavering. Mrs. Wright has demonstrated a remarkable passion for her beliefs and her
007convictions in advocating for her students and her colleagues and our staff and her perspective is truly noteworthy. As department chair, Mrs. Wright led a group of teachers whose students consistently rank top in Orange County and New York State. As Mrs. Wright steps away from her roles, she enters a new phase, a true turning point. We sincerely hope that this next chapter brings her all the personal fulfillment and tranquility she deserves. We wish you a fulfilling retirement with your husband, your children, and your grandchildren. [Applause] Next up, we're going to have uh Dr. Moran uh come and speak uh for his uh retiree. Thank you, Dr. Dade. Um, at this point, I'd like to call Vern down because, uh, I like to have him by my side as I acknowledge him in the 22 years that
008I've worked with him. Vern, come on down, you know. So, I I spent a good amount of time writing lots of words on the paper and earlier today I just threw it out. All I wanted to say is Vern, thank you for 22 years. You've helped me become a better leader uh by working with you. You've taught me so much over these years. Um you've led the grounds crew. Uh you've been the backbone of the back end of this district here. Um, and and I have a gift for you if you could hold this. It's my bonus. It's your bonus. Um, oh my god. So, we all know Glenn McGinness. Back in 2012, Glenn McInness had given me a softball for the JV girls softball team. And it's signed by the entire team members. 2012.
009Vern, I want to give you this as a gift. It was given to me. I treasured this. I want to give this to you is from Glenn McGinness himself. You helped maintain those fields for many, many years. I know that it would have a strong meaning to you. Has a strong meaning to me. Congratulations on your retirement. Thank you. Next, if I could have Miss Buck Holtz uh come up for the Willow Avenue family. [Applause] Good evening. It is my pleasure to honor a teacher who has been a leader, a mentor, nurturer, and friend to so many at Willow Avenue, Mrs. Linda Line. Mrs. Line has dedicated 25 years to education with 22 of those years at Willow Avenue. Throughout her career, she has consistently put her students first, always striving to implement best practices
010both inside and outside the classroom. Spending the majority of her time teaching third grade, Mrs. line worked closely with her colleagues to design meaningful hands-on lessons that allowed students to step beyond the textbook and engage in real world learning. One shining example is the third grade heritage unit where students researched their family histories and presented their findings during Heritage Day, a celebration that blossomed into a schoolwide and eventually district-wide event. She also helped students understand economics through marketplace day where they created and sold products donating proceeds to both local and global causes. Outside the classroom, Mrs. Line leaves a lasting legacy through her work with the kindness committee. Year after year, she organized events to honor our veterans and planned activities that nurtured the spirit of kindness that lives at the heart of Willow Avenue.
011Linda, you will be incredibly missed. Thank you for the kindness, guidance, and unwavering dedication you've given, not only to Willow, but to the entire district. We wish you nothing but happiness and well-deserved relaxation as you begin this next chapter, one filled with time, joy, and new memories with your grandchildren. [Applause] here. Thank you. Okay. And last but not least, uh, Mr. Crocetti for the CO family. That's the speeches for you today. Okay. So, it gives me a great pleasure and I'm truly honored to be able to speak about one of our beloved kindergarten teachers at CO. So, for 34 years, Mrs. Delucia has been the foundation of our students earliest school memories, creating a warm, joyful, and laughter-filled environment. Her quick wit, heartfelt commitment, and genuine love for her students have made a lasting impact
012not only on the children she's taught, but also on all who've had the privilege of working with her. She has consistently championed the needs of every child, skillfully blending empathy with the essential goal of helping them grow into independent learners. Her expertise in early childhood education has been an invaluable resource, helping us all become better educators and caregivers. Mrs. Deluchia, your contributions to the Cornwall community are beyond measure. It has truly been an honor to have worked alongside of you. You will be missed more than words can say. Thank you for everything and congratulations on your welldeserved retirement. We will miss you. Congratulations again. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. [Applause] So now, Mrs. Buck Holtz and I would like to take a moment to honor someone's whose quiet strength has touched the
013lives of so many. Our dedicated school psychologist, Mrs. Dugact known for her calm presence, boundless patience, and uplifting spirit. Mrs. Duke Actton has a remarkable ability to recognize the unique strengths in every child, even those facing the hardest challenges. She helps students feel seen, heard, and truly supported. Throughout the years, she has fostered deep, trusting connections with students, staff, and especially families. In even the most difficult conversations, she brought warmth and respect, always centering her work around what was best for the child. Mrs. Dugaken will be greatly missed at both CO and Willow, but the positive impact she made will continue to resonate for years to come. Thank you, Mrs. Dugaten for the compassion, insight, and dedication you've given to our school communities. Congratulations and enjoy a well-earned retirement. [Applause] All right. Next on the
014agenda for celebration, our our uh tenure award recipient. So, I'm going to call you down in uh two groups. Uh and I am going to have you awkwardly stand next to me as I uh talk about you. Uh, so the first group I would love for Mr. Simo, Miss Bayasi, Mr. Welli, Mr. Whitten, and Mr. Morgan to come on down, please. [Applause] All right, I am going to start with Lauren. Uh so uh here are some of the very nice words that her uh team at the high school had to say about about Lauren. At CCHS, Miss Biasy has achieved remarkable success in her role as an AP US history teacher, achieving a 100% AP exam pass rate for the 202425 school year. She organizes comprehensive AP mock exams to prepare um her students uh
015effectively. and she created a new elective, society and culture, which successfully integrates interdisciplinary collaboration with classes such as science fiction. Beyond the classroom, she has founded the sewing club, is the assistant faculty adviser for the youth and government club, has organized field trips, and supported youth civic inquiry. She also helped facilitate our high school students participation in this year's multicultural night. Miss Biasy has act actively contributed to the school's professional development initiatives, co-hosting sessions on educational technology tools like quizzes and parlay and leading workshops on fishbowl discussions. She played a pivotal role in organizing the first CCHS civic fair which I got to attend recently where students engaged with community leaders regarding their capstone civic action projects. Miss Biasy is an exemplary educator who continuously strives to innovate, inspire, and support student success. Congratulations on
016your well- earned tenure. Next, Mr. Welli. After spending six years teaching at Ananta High School, Nick joined the CCHS social studies department in the fall of 2022. Nick has taught Global 9, Global 10, and participation in government with plans to offer AP US government and politics starting in the fall of 2025. Mr. Welli is an innovator in the classroom, continually offering his students creative and engaging learning opportunities. I'm not going to have him do the call and response that he has his students do, which I got to observe. But let I'll just tell you it is a very engaging experience. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Welli has co-advised the first model UN chapter at CCHS since the fall of 2023, demonstrating a commitment to expanding extracurricular opportunities for students. Mr. Welli was also
017a member of the planning committee for the district's multicultural night and has actively collaborated with his department to design and implement successful initiatives such as the participation in government civics fair. Mr. Welli has immersed himself in the school community by serving as a member of the Cornwall Dragon football program, coaching at both the JV and freshman levels. He is dedicated to fostering student growth both inside and outside the classroom. Congratulations on your tenure, Mr. Welli. M. Next up, Mr. Whitten. Mr. Whitten joined CCHS at the start of the 21-22 school year. From his first days at Cornwall, Mr. Whitten demonstrated a dedication to becoming an active and engaged member of our school community. As a safe school ambassadors participant, he works to promote a safe and welcoming environment for all students, contributing positively to our
018school's culture. In the classroom, Mr. Whitten fosters a learning environment that encourages critical thinking and meaningful connections between academic content and students everyday lives. His enthusiasm for his subject matter is evident. I won't give examples of how uh some of the connections to our teens minds uh Mr. Whitten's able to do, but uh just think bubanic plague and connecting with our students. Beyond his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Whitten has made an impact as one of our track and field coaches. His commitment to our athletes extends beyond their physical performance. He strives to create a welcoming, encouraging environment where students feel valued and motivated to excel. Mr. Whitten's dedication to his students both in and out of the classroom is absolutely commendable. His contributions have strengthened our school community. Congratulations on your tenure. [Applause] And last, but
019certainly not least for this group, Mr. Morgan. Mr. Morgan began his career with our district in Cornwall, demonstrating his adaptability and commitment by stepping in as a lastm minute leave replacement at CCMS. During that time, he capably taught both ELA and steam, quickly establishing himself as a dedicated and resourceful educator. Recognizing his potential and positive impact, Mr. Morgan was appointed to a probationary position as a sixth grade special education teacher for the 2122 school year. In addition to teaching sixth grade special education at CCMS, Mr. Morgan has also taught high school students with significant disabilities in our ESY program. Within this program, parents and administration have shared positive praise related to his keen ability to build rapport and motivate his students. Mr. Morgan has an exceptional ability to integrate technology seamlessly into his instruction and
020has significantly enhanced student engagement and access to the curriculum. He collaborates effectively with colleagues, sharing his expertise and contributing meaningfully to team initiatives and planning. His insights and proactive approach make him a go-to resource for his peers. Beyond his regular teaching responsibilities, Mr. Morgan demonstrates an unwavering commitment to our students by working with them after school in our homework library. Perhaps most notably, Mr. Morgan possesses a remarkable ability to excite a passion for learning within his students. He creates a classroom environment where curiosity is fostered and students feel empowered to take risks and explore new ideas. This enthusiasm is not limited to his students. His positive energy and innovative approaches also serve an is as an inspiration to his colleagues. Congratulations on your tenure, Mr. Morgan. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. [Applause] Our second group
021for the evening for our tenure recipients. If I could have Dr. Dherty, Miss Jados, Miss Padilla Bellow, Miss Jennings, and Miss Johnson. Come on up, please. [Applause] All right, I'm going to start with Dr. Dr. Dherty. [Laughter] Dr. Dohy began working at CES as our school psychologists after having many years experience working as a psychologist in school, community, and clinical settings with children and adults of varying ages and backgrounds. Her knowledge and experience in AC in assessment intervention and consultation services working with general education and special education students, teachers, administrators and parents has made her an integral and highly valued member of our staff. She is always present for consultation and teachers and staff absolutely value her input. Dr. Dr. Dhy cares deeply for our young students and she works tirelessly to ensure the most
022favorable outcomes. Her ability to organize and lead meetings is outstanding. She attends and organizes CES's IST meetings, is a member of their PBIS and BERT committees, and she works closely with their kindergarten team during the kindergarten screening process and the screening process and placement for new entrance when needed. Dr. Dr. Dhy is an absolutely essential part of the CES team and we um congratulate you on your tenure. Miss Jados [Music] Kristen came to Cornwall CSD from the New York City public school system where she served as a middle school math teacher. She also taught a few other states at the elementary level. And I say all of this because it's absolutely evident when you see her teach that she brings her wealth of classroom teaching experience to her role as an instructional technology specialist. Since
023her arrival in 2021, Kristen has transformed the learning experience for students by designing engaging, interactive, techsupported lessons that students and staff absolutely crave at CES. It is virtually impossible I'm going to say it again. It's virtually impossible to walk by her classroom by one of her lessons without being drawn in by her contagious enthusiasm for teaching, for her students, and for integrating technology. Miss Jados, you are an absolutely integral part of our team, and we're so happy to have you here. Congratulations on your tenure. [Applause] Next, Miss Padilla Bellow. [Applause] Miss Padilla began teaching at CES as a fourth grade teacher in September of 2022, and she quickly became an integral part of the fourth grade team. Prior to that, she taught elementary school in New York City. During the course of the past three
024years, Miss Padilla has proven herself to be a knowledgeable and dedicated teacher who is genuinely concerned about her students academic and emotional progress. She has an excellent understanding of how students learn in the fourth grade curriculum and the learning environment in her classroom is positive and engaging. This past year, Miss Padilla was tasked with working with students who have an IEP. and she has worked very hard to make sure she's meeting their needs and the needs of all of her students in the classroom. I was able to see this firsthand. It's an absolutely amazing thing uh to see half the class are students with an IEP and the other half are general education uh students and Miss Padilla um is an exemplar for what that uh should look like. She collaborates with her colleagues on
025a daily basis and she has developed positive relationships with both her students and their parents. Congratulations on your tenure. [Applause] Miss Jennings, prior to being hired at Willow Avenue Elementary School in 2021 as a speech pathologist, Miss Jennings worked in Colorado and Virginia as a speech therapist. From her initial interview and throughout her probationary period, Miss Jennings has demonstrated a strong knowledge of the elementary child. Her teaching pedigogy, differentiated strategies and instruction, and her warmth and enthusiasm make for a positive and productive learning environment. on a daily basis. Her le her sessions are well planned, organized, and incorporate hands-on activities that address the needs of the students on her case load. Within her sessions, Miss Jennings works on but not limited to articulation and fluency skills, which remember I learned that second part, receptive, expressive,
026and social pragmatic language as well as vocabulary and grammar skills. Miss Jennings is also a valuable resource for her colleagues. She's always willing to listen, observe, provide feedback and suggestions for student support. She has the unique ability to look at the needs of the whole child and offer helpful strategies to support students within the classroom. She is a valued and wellrespected member of the Willow Avenue faculty. Congratulations on your tenure. And last but not least, Miss Johnson. Mrs. Johnson is a gifted musician whose artistry directly enhances her teaching. Her deep understanding of string instruments and orchestral instruction translates into lessons that are engaging, rigorous, and inspiring. She sets high expectations for her students and supports them in teaching those standards, fostering both musical growth and her strong sense of discipline and responsibility. She makes effective
027use of technology to enhance her instruction. Whether it's providing digital tools to assist students with home practice, all practice is good practice, right, Mr. Johnson? Or integrating audio and video resources into her lessons. She ensures that her students have every opportunity to succeed. What is especially impressive is her ability to maintain a demanding schedule across all three of our elementary school buildings. Her organ organizational skills are exceptional. She's always prepared, on time, and thoroughly engaged with each group of students she teaches. Her ability to juggle these responsibilities while maintaining a high level of instruction is a testament to her commitment and capability as an educator. Her passion for music, dedication to her students, and professional excellence make her an invaluable asset to our district. Congratulations on your tenure. [Applause] Thank you. All right, Mr. Hines,
028if you could join me, please. [Applause] And Chrysanthy, where are you? Come on down. [Applause] It's an absolute pleasure to take some time this evening to recognize our CCTA educator of the year, Chrysanthia Gianodis, an ENL teacher at Cornwall Central High School. She exemplifies everything that the CCTA and we as a district value in an educator. Her tenacity, compassion, and an unwavering dedication to student uh success. Mr. Hines, this sounds familiar because this is uh from Mr. Hines, but on behalf of all of us, her tireless work to support her English language learners goes far beyond academics. She's a trusted adult, an advocate, and a guiding light for our students who often need the most care and attention. Despite managing a schedule that would exhaust most, Chrysanth seamlessly moves from room to room, translates materials
029into multiple languages, scaffolds complex lessons, and offers constant emotional and academic support. She does it all with grace, positivity, and a bright smile. She teaches her students not only English, but also the academic content required in their high school courses while seamlessly integrating essential life skills that help them thrive both in and out of the classroom. To so many students, Chrysanthia is more than a teacher. She's a lifeline. The CCTA and the Cornell Central School District are thrilled to recognize her with this muchdeserved honor. Congratulations, [Applause] Chrysanthy. We have a plaque that's now complete that'll live at the high school for the year. And I guess we're going to have to get a new plaque for next year. [Applause] Thank you, Terry. Uh, I now have the pleasure of recognizing a few folks who uh
030will be leaving us this year. First off, um we have two uh board members who will not be joining us again when we start the school year uh in July. Uh Tiffany Galliano is not here tonight. Bass Shocker, if you could come on over here, Bass, we've got something for you. [Applause] I just want to say it's been a pleasure working with you. Uh and certainly you have always said what you wanted to say and we've known where you stand and I appreciate the way that you uh carry yourself that way. Uh and I really appreciate the way that you've done our NISPA um uh policy process every year. you've really cleaned up how we've done that and improved that and uh it's been great working with you. Thank you for your service. [Applause] Uh
031and now we have our student representatives who will be uh heading off to college next year. Uh so thank you both. Uh we always say it's you know the lifeblood of of what we do here. Um and it's great to hear your uh view uh certainly this year especially with the community lunch and and what that looked like on the ground uh for you guys. So uh thank you to Maline Larkin who will be going to Jacksonville University and Ava Rich who'll be going to Villanovas. Thank you both. [Applause] And the last item here is uh Dr. Dade uh recently completed his doctor. Congratulations. Uh will be leaving us here in a few weeks. Um so I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of the board and our school community for your five
032years uh here with us. Um if you come on up, we've got a little something for you. Yeah, it's been um it's been a pleasure to work with you this year as I've been the president and I just wanted to highlight um you know in your five years here we've maintained our high academic standards uh through co which of course was very challenging to navigate um and we're able to do that um introduced UPK into the district in your time here uh have passed the capital project which hadn't happened in a long time here So, uh, a lot of achievements in a in a 5-year time frame and we thank you all and best wishes. [Applause] Uh, if you would like to leave, feel free. Uh, if you'd like to stay for the business portion
033of the evening, feel free to stay as well. Thank you all. Congratulations. Got you. All right. Thank you everybody. That brings us to our next agenda item which is recognition of visitors. Uh we welcome visitors for any item on the agenda or any other concern. Each person wishing to speak is asked to speak into the microphone, identify themselves and respectively limit their comments to three minutes. Two opportunities to speak are available. One early in the meeting which we limited to 30 minutes and one at the end of the meeting. Each speaker may address the board only once at both the opening and closing portions of the agenda. Please remember there will be no cross dialogue between speakers and members of the board. All speakers are to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Obscene language, libalist
034statements, threats of violence, statements advocating racial, religious, or other forms of prejudice will not be tolerated. Persons wishing to discuss matters involving individual district personnel or students should present their comments and/or concerns to the superintendent during regular business hours. Uh with that, if anybody would like to join us for public comment, it's a race. I'm not going to stay too long. I've spent enough years with that green stuff in front of me in different places. This I want to first of all congratulate the I want to make sure I get their names right. Miss Riser and Miss Fox. And thank God you're back, Brendan. Yeah. I got to tell you, your free service we'd have to pay a fortune for. And you're fun, too. So, congratulations everybody. Bass, I know you always had your heart
035in the right place. I never agreed with you, but you always had your heart in the right place. So, thank you for the service. Uh, I wrote a couple of notes because I didn't want to forget anything. Tonight, I asked Alexa to just play some old Joanie Mitchell music. And what was the first song that came up? Yellow Bus. Pave Paradise. Well, it's true that you don't always know what you've got until it's gone. And I'm positive that every person that sits in this on this board and every person that teaches in the district and the children will understand when you're gone what they had. That's the first thing. My second thing is my first year on the board, you had just come to the school district and it was interesting because nobody could find
036your predecessor. He heard the word COVID and um you kind of got a trial by fire. You had a great crew to help you. Um, and Megan Harvey and they did a great job and you rolled with the punches and there were punches. Um, so that was that was your first thing. You didn't have anybody to kind of move you slowly in. Then second of course was CO which changed all our lives and has it will always change our lives. life is different. Um the third thing was we also had um a contract. It was a contract year. Well, why don't we just throw you in the water and hold you under? It was a difficult contract. You kept dignity in the face of people personally insulting you and your family. And I have to
037tell you, I give you a lot of credit because a couple of times I wanted to get up. It was the Bronx girl in me, but you sat. And what was your question all the time? All you cared about is it okay for the kiddos. Well, yeah. That's what was important. That's what should be. Um, let's see. If I I've been on the board of two boards for a lot of years and I will say this, I've sat with what 21 years several superintendent uh assistant superintendent and people as in turn ref and they were good, some were terrible. Well, I thought they were, but anyway, you are above them all in my opinion. You have class and you are smart and you have great presence and you understand the one thing that's most important.
038You're here, all of you, for the kids. Now, having said that, I just got this for you because it's cheesy and you don't have to put it on your desk anywhere, but I thought it was important to read. Leader, a person who leads others. A noun. One who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality and cutting the way for the rest of the group to follow. Someone whose actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more. I think that was so appropriate. Got it on Amazon, too. Had to look a long time to get that all done. Anyway, I am not going to
039be rude, but I guess I will be. I am going to leave after this because God knows I don't want to hear any business. But as a member of the community, you have gotten our budgets passed. You've gotten our propositions through. Hello, Jim. And again, you will be missed on many levels. And God, you've got good moves and a great voice. We'll miss that, too. Thank you for your service, Terry. Good night, everybody. Thank you, Teresa. John, good evening, John Hines. Um, I know tonight you have your legal RFP discussion on the agenda. Um, in looking at the appropriations from this year to May, um, our legal budget is $140,000 over what was budgeted for um, at the beginning of the school year. So, I'm just curious, how did we get to this point where
040legal was $140,000 over budget? um my unit lost four teachers in this new budget. So um that amount of money could have filled a position. So I think it's just a question I have for the board is and if it's something you can share, I'd love to hear the answer is how did our legal expenses get that far over budget? Thank you. Thank you, John. Good evening. My name is Kelly Cassie. I live on Shadowwood Lane right next door to the high school property. I have uh been engaging with members of the board on and off since the inception of the multisport facility which is cited right next to my property. Um on numerous occasions I've come and I've spoken at board meetings. We've attempted to engage in terms of having our concerns met as
041neighbors to the multisport facility. We're at the point where the multi-port facility is due to be completed in the middle of August and my neighbors and I have made multiple requests of this board to address to address our concerns in relation to noise, light pollution, other concerns regarding our water supply. Um we met with Dr. Dade, Mr. Kan, Mr. Frink and Mr. Moran in January and had what we thought was a honest and in good faith conversation regarding our needs as neighbors. We requested a sound wall to block the undoubtedly very noisy games from the bleachers that are cited 10 feet off of our property. We asked for tree screening because there is none and the current lights in addition to the newly installed lights in the soon-to-be parking lot are intrusive into our homes.
042There are issues of drainage that continue. And when I followed up with an email in April, almost 3 months after the meeting in January, I was told that there has been no progress in making a plan to address and mitigate our concerns. I then asked for a timeline for this plan on April 21st and I have yet to receive a response to my question as to when this mitigation plan is going to be developed in conjunction with us because we were told that we would be communicated with and involved in the conversation. The grass is planted along the side of my property. The fence poles have been installed. It's clear that we're at the point where screening trees could be installed. There's been no movement in terms of addressing our concerns regarding noise and our
043request for a sound wall. And so I once again am coming to address you publicly to ask at what point in time will you be communicating with us regarding our concerns and developing a mitigation plan with us. When we met with you in January, my neighbor asked, "Whom of you would like to live next to this pro to this project?" And none of you responded, which said to us that none of you want to live next to this. Yet our concerns as neighbors continue to be, I will say, ignored. It's very disturbing as a taxpayer and as a taxpayer coming to these meetings for years now and asking for some consideration. So that's my question to you. At what point in time are you going to be addressing our concerns as neighbors? Because over the
044years I've heard we want to be good neighbors. We want to do what's right for our neighbors. And yet here we sit two months away away from completion with no no plan for screening, no plan for noise mitigation. And regardless of how many times we're informed that this this project has no environmental impact on us, that is just not true. We live here. And so my expectation is that there would be some sort of response, some sort of plan to help us. None of you want to live next to this. So why should we have to endure the noise and the light pollution and the littering and the trespassing that this project is bringing to our lives. Thank you for your comments. Okay, with that, um, next item on our agenda is the student representative
045reports, uh, from Maline and Eva. We'll start off with good news for CO. Kindergarten screening took place at CO on May 27th to the 29th. The testing went very smoothly and it was a pleasure to meet our incoming kindergarten students in person. The PTO hosted a mother son bowling night on Friday, June 13th. Everybody who attended had a wonderful time. The event was held at the bowling alley on the West Point campus. June is always a month filled with field trips. On June 9th, the fourth grade traveled to Legoland. On June 18th, they will be hosting their annual cardboard arcade. All are invited to attend. On June 11th, the third grade took their annual walk to the riverfront, had a picnic lunch, and then participated in many entertaining field games. On June 18th, the first
046grade classes will be walking to the park for a picnic and to play field games with their reading buddies from the fourth grade. On June 12th, Liz Fischer from the Cornwall Public Library visited CO to read a story to each class and speak to them about the wonderful programs that are being offered during the months of July and August at the library. On June 3rd, our third grade students and families attended Cornwall's annual instrument petting zoo and demo night. Our instrumental music department along with a tremendous amount of help from our amazing CCHS musicians interact interacted with and aided our incoming musicians as they began their journey of choosing an instrument to learn in September. On June 12th and 13th, our third graders will be attending one-on-one instrument interviews with Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Subie,
047who are helping to guide them as they make their final instrument selection. The fourth grade students participated in their moving up ceremony this morning. The students were super excited to be able to share this moment with their families in person. The ceremony ran very smoothly and the the student speakers were terrific. On June 17th and 18th, the two kindergarten classes will be performing a short music show that was put together during their enrichment music periods for the third trimester. The students are looking forward to performing for their families and friends. CO field day will be held on June 20th. We are hoping for good weather. Grade four will play their annual kickball game against the teachers. We wish them luck. Okay, next we have Willow Avenue. Good news. Willow Avenue has been very busy as
048bees as we welcomed in June. Our classes have many activities planned. Our students are traveling back to Black Rockck, Legoland, the town park, Renegade Stadium, and Stewart Airport. We welcomed our new kindergarteners in for case screening, and we are looking forward to welcoming them to Willow in September. Our fourth graders held their annual cardboard arcade during art enrichment week last week. The rain didn't damper our fun. All of our students visited the cardboard arcade and experience the fun of the creative games with prizes and popcorn. Our kindergarten classes are getting ready to show how much they love how much they have grown during our kindergarten poetry pulooa. They are definitely ready for our first grade. Our third graders took our musical instruments for a test drive during instrument interviews to see which instrument fit them
049the best to play in fourth grade. Tomorrow we'll be celebrating our fourth graders in our moving up ceremony. We are incredibly proud of their accomp accomplishments this year and wish them the best of luck as they enter CCMS. Field day was held on June 13th. Students rotated through different stations and enjoyed a fun outside a fun outside on the field with their classmates. And we ended the day with our annual third vers fourth grade kickball game. Have a wonderful summer from Willow Avenue. For the CES good news, as the school year winds down, the excitement is still going strong at CES. Our third graders recently experienced one of the most anticipated events of the year, their overnight field trips to Black Rockck Forest. These adventures are true core memories for our students. Mrs. Gleason and
050Mrs. Baxter led their classes through engaging outdoor lessons in what we like to call the greatest classroom of the land. Even the rain couldn't dampen spirits as students hike, conducted stream flow and macro invertebrate studies, and learned about the water treatment process. The group roasted marshmallows, spent the night in the lodge, and finished their trip with seasonal observations and tree planting alongside Black Rockck staff. A special highlight was the return of Mr. Scofield, who joined in on the trip. Many of his former students were thrilled to see him, making the experience even more meaningful. Mrs. Hardest class has been hard at work learning about erosion and weathering and they recently took their learning to the next level with a creative creative collaboration with Miss Jados. Students research various national parks across the country to discover
051how erosion and weathering shaped each landscape. They wrote letters to park rangers to share their learning and ask follow-up questions. The best part is almost every student received a personalized response complete with brochures, bro bookmarks, park gear, and answers to their questions. This authentic project was an exciting and memorable way to bring science and writing to life. Our fourth graders had their annual trip to Ellis Island. Students traveled to Liberty State Park in New Jersey where they boarded a ferry that gave them a a scenic tour around the Statue of Liberty before arriving at Ellis Island. This full-day experience brought their social studies curriculum to life as they explored the rich history of immigration in America and reflected on the stories of those who passed through the island. It's always a powerful and memorable trip
052for our students and staff alike. We also had a special visit from two by two animal haven who brought fascinating animals and engaging lessons about care, compassion, and curiosity. Our students were captivated by the live animal presentations and left the assembly buzzing with excitement. As we head into the final days of school, we're looking forward to some of our favorite end of the year traditions. The fourth grade moving up ceremony, our final spirit assembly, and the always popular staff kickball game. What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of another amazing year at CES. Next, we have the Cornwall Middle School. Our students have had some wonderful experience outside of school over the last month. Eighth grade students visited the Museum of Science, saw an IMAX, rode on a duckboat tour, danced and enjoyed a
053dinner cruise on the Boston Harbor, and capped off their two-day trip with a visit to the New England Aquarium and Quincy Market. Our seventh grade students spent the day at Chelsea Piers in Connecticut, and Miss Pagano's accelerated science class worked hard during their spring Hudson River data collection. Sixth grade students show off their bowling skills, and our fifth graders, the Hudson Valley Renegades education day. Finally, our fifth and sixth graders brought their agame out on our field days. Many thanks to the PE staff for organizing. Our CCMS music ensembles all brought the house down during their spring concerts. All of our seventh and eighth grade groups were all rated superior at the thrill at the Trills and Thrills Festival in Queensberry. Congratulations to our amazing musicians. We wish everyone a happy, safe, and restful summer.
054CCMS wishes Mr. Dr. Dade the best in his new role. The CCSD was very fortunate to have you here with our with us for the past five years. Your leadership during some of the most challenging times in education is truly valued. All the best to you and your family. And then last but not least, we have the high school. As theu as school year starts winding down, things at Cormal Central High School have been busier than ever. Regent's exams have have officially started and students are working hard to finish strong. Huge shout out to our senior scholar athletes Isaiah Renoso and Lily D. Feliz for being recognized for all their dedication on and off the field. The CCHS art show was totally was a total hit, showing off their talent of our amazing student artists,
055especially the seniors. The creativity in that room was seriously the next level. The CCHS Jags combo also performed in the library for classes and their set list was super impressive. In participation in government, students got to show off their hard work at the civic issue fair and it was very cool seeing all the different trifolds and hearing about topics people really care about. We also had the powderpuff game where the seniors came out on top with a big win. And a special me mention to Selena Dong and Emma Adriano for painting awesome new dragon themed murals around the school. They look amazing and totally add to the school spirit. The the spring concert took place and featured performances by the band, jazz band, orchestra, and choruses. Each group performed a v variety of pieces. The
056event was well attended and ran smoothly with support from the music department. Awards night was held on June 4th and recognized students for the e their academic success. Departmental awards were presented to students by the department chairs. It was a great way to acknowledge student accomplishments before the end of the year. Senior prom took place June 12th at the West Hills Country Club. Students enjoyed feud food, music, pictures, and dancing. Seniors had an enjoyable night as they wrapped up their final year of high school. Congratulations to our prom queen, Kristen McKay, and prom king Daniel Dman. Great. Thank you both. Uh Maline and David, it's been a pleasure to have you with us all year. Um exciting time for both of you coming up here. Um with that being said, there are some finals that
057you probably both have. So if you would like to uh sneak out, if you need to prepare for those, please feel free to do so. Um of course, you're welcome to stay as always. But uh we thank you both. It's been great to hear from you all year. Uh and we wish you nothing but success in all of your future endeavors. Uh, and with that, uh, next item is superintendent's update. Terry, thank you, Jim. Uh, just, uh, again wanted us to thank, um, Maline and Ava on their way out. I looking forward to seeing you all at graduation. Thank you for a fantastic year as our student, uh, board reps. I just wanted to just take one minute to thank uh all of the uh Cornwall CSD family for welcoming my family uh 5 years
058ago. Uh we had a one-mon-old uh at the time and uh 11 months late, 10 months later, uh Ty came along. So our growing family was welcome with open arms. Um I'll always look back fondly on um on our time uh here. So, thank you to uh everyone in this phenomenal district, both as your superintendent and as a proud uh father. I think we um spent a lot of time talking about what's um wrong in the district. Um but I've been able to see for 5 years um as a proud father and your superintendent um so many great things uh that happened in the district. So, thank you everyone. I'll turn it over to Joe. Thank you, Terry. Um, I'll be brief in my president's update. Just want to uh publicly um congratulate Megan Arjenio
059on uh being voted as the interim superintendent effective July 1st. Um, we look forward to working with you in that role. Um, and just update the community that um the process to uh evaluate and hire search firm is ongoing and we hope to have a better, you know, more in-depth update for you at our next meeting on that. So, next item on our agenda is the consent agenda. Uh, use of the consent agenda permits the board of education to make more effective use of its time by adopting a single motion to cover those relatively routine matters which are included. Any member of the board who wishes to discuss individually a particular piece of business on the consent agenda may so indicate, and that item will be considered and voted on separately, thus preserving the right
060of all board members to be heard on any issue. Uh, it is recommended that the board of education approve the following consent agenda as submitted by the superintendent schools items 2 through 17. Um, can I have a motion and a second and then we'll pull items out for discussion? Motion. Second. Second. Uh, anybody who would like to pull any items 2 through 17? Christian. Uh, number three, number eight, and number 15. Uh, anybody else? Bass 15. Uh, it was mentioned already by Christian. 15. Eleanor. Okay. Anybody else? Okay. So then, uh, let's vote on item two. Items four through seven, 9 through 14, and how I'm sorry, how many items do we have? 17. And items 16 and 17 or alternatively, all items except 3, 8, and 15. Uh, all in favor? I I uh
061any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, great. Uh, so we'll just take these in numerical order. Uh, number three, Christian Uh so people on the board will be aware of this because I asked about this um um on Friday. So this is mostly just a statement um um on one thing. So in the last 12 months we've now hired two teachers in the same certification area. Neither one holding a license certificate when we hired them. And it just seems this is not you know once is a co you know once is an aberration two is a coincidence once you go three. It kind of speaks about the process by which we go to hire people without certificates and licenses when those are available. And I would recommend, you know, perhaps we need to examine our process because,
062you know, I'm a business teacher and I know just last week, Ry High School sent out an invitation to everyone with a certification in the entire state inviting them to apply for their IB business management position. And I think that is a way where you get in the same region the best pool of candidates so that you can have more than one person interviewed, more than one person getting an estration lesson and it's not about the necessarily the outcome changes but it's important to preserve the process. Thank you. Thank you Christian. Uh anybody else comments or questions on item three personnel actions? Uh all in favor? I I I uh any opposed? Uh any abstensions? Okay, thank you. Uh number eight. Um number eight is resolution to declare library books as obsolete for disposal. Um
063Christian and then Elanora since that's the order that it came to me. Jim, if I can defer on the next two just because other people just because otherwise I'm starting on each every single one. Elanora item number eight. I guess my question on this one is how do we determine which books we are uh why are they obsolete? What how are we determining this? what uh so I provided some information uh to the board uh on Friday uh provide a little bit more uh for the public uh every year or a couple of years uh between our five schools our librarians are um are have the authority to uh inventory uh their library books. uh they're always trying to bring in new uh texts that grab our students interests and there's only so much room
064uh on the library shelves. So uh they go through a process of looking for uh damaged books which happens every year. So any books that are damaged um that need to be cycled out are one uh piece that would would be removed. um any that are out ofdate, meaning um books that might be decades old that uh are just not holding uh student interests. And then our librarians really do a great job of tracking student interest. So they can tell which books in the library uh have been checked out, which haven't been checked out in years. um which uh tells them that um their students are not interested necessarily in um those books. So uh there's a inventory process that they uh utilize um pretty much on an uh annual uh basis uh in some
065schools and then our our responsibility is to put up a list uh for the board and the public of which books they've been um have been deemed obsolete. So, so I guess my question was the because it it said some books might be damaged or just old. So, if it's if it's a popular book and it's just an old book, will we be replacing those books? Yeah, any popular books uh books that our students are demanding, our librarians are also bringing in new texts, so they might replace them with brand new uh books. Christian. So, I mean, I I read the the board update on Friday, but I have to say my impression is just it's a little bit presentation was disingenuous, I guess, is the way that I would characterize it. Um, when you
066compare like to what we did, let's say 3 years ago, we retired books that probably 80% were between 40 and 60 years old at the middle school. There's no doubt that that book is even if it's well-loved a great book it probably is worn out. I have the list for today in front of me and without you know other than the children's literature review these are books that are 10 15 years old which isn't completely different and you know if you compare one list which you know you have 150 pages of books that are 40 to 70 years old and say okay these are obsolete damaged etc unused and you have books that are relatively recent on topics that clearly are important and say these are two the same thing and saying these are the
067same process And um The Hate You Give is a book that controversial, yes, has won a lot of awards, not 10 years old. Um a book like that should not be done in a resolution declaring it it's not obsolete. I'm almost certain it's not unused. I don't think that the date rape prevention book, you know, that it's only 15 years old, is a book that even if it was never taken out, is a book that should be withdrawn from our shelves simply because of the topic it's on and the importance. And there's several other books, online privacy, less than 10 years old. At graduation last year, I went through these stacks. These books are not damaged. And if they're damaged in one year, an incredible amount of damage occurred in one year. And so it
068there's a process for dealing with some of these books and they shouldn't probably shouldn't be done in this process because of what the nature are and the issues that these some of these books bring up. I just want to add there's another book on our shelves that was already discarded from Nema. You can see by the stamp inside the book it was originally published in 1927. We have a 1950 printing of it. its own author Samuel Ed Morrison basically disowned and took out sections of it because how it treat traded slavery. It's our only survey of American history in the high school and I don't know what neutral process identifies some of these books and somehow can pass over a book of that that is certainly old is certainly not being used by that and
069has already been discarded by one educational institution. And so I guess that I really can't agree to the resolution tonight. So, um I'll I'll just say we've entrusted our librarians to do their due diligence to um inventory library books appropriately um through a consistent uh process. Um, I would encourage the board if there's something that the board wants to intervene and review every uh book that is brought up, then we may need to change um the the policy to do so. Right now, they're operating under the um the trust of their um building principal uh to inventory and assess um the the books in the library. Again, it's not just damaged, it's not just out ofd. It's also whether it's being uh utilized by uh students during the checkout process. Uh there's other resolutions where
070uh textbooks have been replaced and and things of that nature. So, um again, this is just for the good of our students, but if the board wants to go a different direction, we can house the books somewhere else in the high school. But right now, our librarians have the authority to determine what's um up on the shelves uh through the current uh policy process. Thank you. Anybody else have a comment on item number eight? All right. So, uh resolution to declare library books as obsolete for disposal. Um all in favor? I I uh opposed. I Christian, Richard, Carl, Elanora. Um, okay. I would I would ask for direction from the board of where the book should be housed. Um, what the process is moving forward because this is a deviation from the way all of
071our five librarians operate. So just some direction from the board would be helpful. Okay. Uh so item eight is not carried. Um item uh resolution to approve proposal for geotechnical survey and engineering report uh CT mail and associates engineering survey architecture and landscape geology. Um, Bass, thanks. Thanks, Jim. Yeah. Uh, with no background uh as to why we received this proposal, I have four questions. One, uh, was it unsolicited? Two, was it in response to an RFP that I did not know about? Three, why do we need it? And four, for how long it would be enforced? Thanks, Mr. Frink. Uh, so great. Um, straightforward question. So, this is related to the work for the 2025 capital um project referendum. So, you'll see that we've um in one of the pages provided to you, we're
072looking at a lot of work at to take place at the middle school. Um so, they want to do some surveying over there ahead of the referendum. Um so, we know for accurate pricing um for when we put this to a bond vote. Um, so it was done through an RFT uh RFP process through Tetrate Tech, our architect and engineering firm. So they put it out. Um, and we can piece mail it because you can see there's two parts to it that are related to middle school and high school. So if we don't want the high school portion and we want to focus more on the middle school, we can do that. Thank you, Christian. Um, so kind of uh I kind of understood what Mr. just relayed to us about this is related to
073the 2025 capital project and some of the preliminary work. I presume that you're doing a geotechnical survey underneath where some of the proposed projects would be and therefore this is an a first step that's to be done in a timely manner. Um my concern is that you know we've been knowing this the facilities committee has been meeting uh I know some people sit on the facilities committee but some of these projects have not been really presented to the full board or to the community and it seems premature that we are approving work to go ahead with that without a discussion about how those projects and what projects should be included and as I was at the facilities committee last as the people who were there know um I have a lot of concerns about the
074kiss ride because of just the induced demand which is just a na nature of traffic and what that's going to do and in light of but you know the shadowwood lane and what we did with the the football field showed I think a a deaf ear to some of the things about how our projects impact the people that surround us and I think this is going to be a not very good to the pe uh people in our community live on mailor I think it's going to lead to traffic problems on the links the nodes with Academy and Avenue and Willow and I think there are better things because generally when you're dealing with as a teacher I'm in the traffic coming toward a school every day and it's more severe than what's on Main
075Street. Um and uh there's a simple like solution to that which is to kind of flatten the peak and there are different ways to do that other than building another road. And it's a constant theme in traffic engine uh transportation engineering. When you build more roads what you do is you induce more demand and you actually get a worse situation than what you started with. Even and even if you just keep it at the same you are just basically moving traffic from one to another. and we have different types of different roads there. So I guess I think we should have a discussion and I'm not voting against this geotechnical survey because I understand it's important regardless of what we decide and it's not tied to one particular project but I think that we given
076that we anticipate a vote within the next 6 months on this capital project really need to have that discussion sooner than later and both not only for us the board to make a decision about what's in the capital project but to allow the community to have some input before final decisions are made And I think that, you know, as I said, sooner than later would be great. Thank you, Christian. Anybody else have thoughts on item 15? Okay. All in favor? I I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay. Thank you. Um, next item up for business here. Uh, new business, non-consent agenda. Uh, two items. Uh first item is the legal service RFP awards discussion. Uh so just to give a little background for everybody. Um we put out an RFP um for legal representation for the
077district. Um had a small group take a look at the responses. Uh we received um two responses um one from the Honeywell group uh who is our current uh law for law firm representing the district. Another response from Thomas Droan, Waxman, Pedigrew, and Mail um who is over in Duchess County. Uh and uh of the four members who uh reviewed those then there were some follow-up questions um essentially uh we all thought that perhaps the the bucket of hours for retainer hours was a little too high and asked the firms if they wanted to uh offer a lower number of retainer hours which we thought was more appropriate for our district. Um we did receive a revised quote and um after discussion amongst the folks that reviewed it uh it was a split decision was
078two to two. Two uh board members recommended Honeywell and two board members recommended Thomas Johan Waxman Pedigrew and Mail. So uh in the cases where we've had that in the past where it hasn't been uh a uh recommendation coming out of the committee we have just uh kicked that information up to the entire board. So, um, a memo was sent out to the board last week, um, outlining the financial, uh, cost differences between the two firms as well as each firm's representation. Um, so with that, we need to make a decision on who we would like to retain moving forward. And I open the floor to comments, questions from any board member. Brendan? Yeah. Can we just discuss the um the price differences that are laid out in the memo? Um just, you know, so
079we can all be on the same page with the same numbers and be sure we understand the difference. So, just to cut to the um I guess I I see where you ended up and you just gave a little bit of a background on how you got there, but um so the retainer, you asked, uh in a followup to their initial response, what would their retainer be at 400 hours? Is that right? They initially responded at 700 and then you asked what would it be at 400. Correct. Okay. So then uh Honeywell came in at 48,000 and litigation at 400 would be 90 for a total of 138 and then TD WPN uh same metrics but 84 and 100 for 184. Um, is there I I just want to be sure that I understand, you
080know, beyond what's in the memo if there's any nuance that came out through the discussions. Um, you know, what was there anything beyond just those raw numbers that we should know about? Um, as far as the discussion between the firms. Yeah. Well, um, anything that would there be a different level of service provided with these with these numbers? uh you know when are there things that would be considered outside of the retainer? Uh does sometimes the retainer for one can include more than a retainer for others? Um we thought that the retainers were comparing apples to apples that they were covering the same um topics. Um then for the litigation the hours that fell out of retainer we thought that those were similar. Um the litigation um hourly rate was uh a little higher for
081T DWP and M. Um however um they also have parallegal hours. So we kind of felt as a committee that the blended rate between partners and parallegals versus Honeywell is um you know there are lower billing rate but mainly billing attorney hours for those expenses. We thought that those hourly re hour hourly rates would kind of come out similarly um as far as dollars and cents on those rates. And obviously, you know, those issues are they they are what they are. It doesn't matter who the firm is, you're going to have the same amount of uh litigation. So, um yeah, I mean, I think overall you're you're taking an educated guess on what the cost difference would be. Uh but it certainly appears that um Thomas Johan Waxman Pedigan Mail would be um 40 to
08250K more per year on an ongoing basis than the Honeywell Law Firm. Um so um so with that, you know, my thought um you know, we have been with the Honeywell Law Firm. He obviously so this is my personal thought. I can let others um who were in the committee share their thoughts. Um Honeywell has represented our district for a long time. Um Brendan, as you know, being a past president, you actually do have some interaction with um the law firm from time to time. Um when I have interacted with Jeff, it's always been timely responses um and quality service from the firm. So for me personally, I couldn't justify those um extended ongoing expenses. Um, Tiffany isn't here tonight. Um, I I'll represent her view. She just she was in favor of the other
083firm. Uh, she worked with them and her time working at Mount St. Mary and said that they're excellent firm and provide, you know, quality service and to her the um she thought that the the monetary difference was worth it. Yes, she reached out to me as well, uh, Tiffany, as we were both in favor of moving to the TDWPM. And, uh, she expressed that the districts that they represent are much more similar to our district as opposed to the districts that are represented by Honeywell. I felt the same way. The difference is about 36 to $40,000 roughly if I did the math correctly. 46. Okay. Um, I feel that we spend more money on other things that are possibly less important than our legal counsel and I don't see um spending the additional funds to
084get a firm that in my opinion, just like you had your opinion, my opinion is um a better firm to represent us. I also questioned the fact that when uh contracts were negotiated this year, a particular unit, the CCTA requested that the lawyers were not present. Um, you know, it's it's their responsibility to do that, but I why why was that? I guess I'd have to delve into was it a trust issue? So, my vote is for the TDW um PM as is Tiffany's. we were the two split. If if I could just jump into what I what I would hope to get out of this conversation is what are we getting from TDWPN that is going to be worth $46,000 per year? You know, I'm open to hear it. I just I mean it
085I I I I would need to know is there are they offering something beyond an expertise beyond what Honeywell offers? Are they offering a service outside of their retainer beyond what Honeywell is offering? I mean if if it is truly apples to apples um you know that's it's not just a $46,000 expense once and that's every year. And just as a reminder, like if my numbers are right, we ended up not including the consultant for the strategic planning this year, which was 45,000. Um, which was something that that came off the budget late. So, like, you know, not that this is the choice in front of us, but just to play a thought exercise. If I could have Honeywell Plus, a strategic planning uh firm for a year or an applesto apples law firm that's
086just 45 $46,000 more, I would take option A. I think that would be the more responsible thing to do. But again, if someone can explain to me what we get and how that would be $46,000 of value more, I'm open to hear it. I can think I can take up at least some of that because but I I think I want to start with the framing of this is that we can't talk about all of us have dealt with Honeywell and we can't discuss about some of our impressions because they involve individual students or staff members and things of that sort and obviously that influences our views and so if you just do that we're going to look at price and like okay words on a page but I think I can talk about some
087things other than that that that I think quantify the difference in cost and I just have eight points here but the first one is as we all know Honeywell was not part of some of our budget uh bargaining unit contract negotiations which is one of the fundamental things you have legal counsel for and it was pretty much a consensus and I don't want to represent anyone else's view that was made it better in fact we have comments on that and we honey was part of a bargaining unit discussion that was fairly acrimonious and not productive And the point is is that if we don't think as a group that they're not part of something, well, that's the difference in co at least one thing in the difference in cost because we don't trust them to
088do one of the things that is part of what you think a legal counsel is for. Two, just the number of grievances in the last 5 years. Now, it's not a legal counsel's responsibility for the bad choices and bad behavior of their clients, but part of what a legal counsel does is the advice about what things are resolved and what things are not. And I think that also indicates perhaps what there's going to be an improvement on. three. Um, uh, Thomas Rohan, well, TD, TDWPM, the reputation is someone that values not litigating everything and trying to maintain good relationships and particularly with three groups that legal counsel interacts with. Uh the first one is the staff and you have to think about it is if you think of it just as a cost okay and
089just like you know everything else is equal when you don't get good legal counsel it lowers your spend the effectiveness of your spending on other things because the relationships uh ill will bad feeling and things of that sort and that kind of goes back to the point of grievances but another thing is is in the last two times it was surveyed the satisfaction level of our special needs community was the lowest in the entire region. Okay? And part of that, what is what do they interact with is with the legal council. And why is that important? Well, guess what? Unhappy people don't vote for budgets. And therefore, we're going to gain a lot more by people being happy with the relationship they're getting. And not to mention the community. Next point, education is going to
090be is an increasingly tidious environment. anyone looking at the news, nationals, state, etc. Things are being litigated, funding is being litigated, uh issues, uh local controls being litigated, many other things are going to lie ahead on the horizon. And if you're going to put a premium on something, I think having perhaps better legal counsel or a larger legal firm is perhaps something that you would want to invest in. Next, as someone mentioned before, if you look at the list of clients of Honeywell, Honeywell is basically an upstate capital region practice and uh TD uh WPM is a Hudson Valley practice. And I think that means they understand the local issues, the different communities and how that's going to interact and what things are going to be more uh litigated and the things are going to
091be resolved or arbitrated. And I think that is important. Next, um I take uh Miss Scalliano's judgment very seriously here because as a as a lawyer, I think she probably is better able to determine the quality of legal counsel or at least in a sense have an insight into it that I wouldn't have and I don't think very many other people sitting on this day would have. And I think it's a fairly fair statement that she is someone who is a budget hawk and if she thinks that the difference is worth it, I would trust that judgment that this is a difference that's worth it. And I think it's important about the history of this RFP. It started nearly two years ago. I mean, some of us were here, okay, and it's been coming up
092and it's been delayed and delayed for different reasons. and it takes two years to kind of address an issue that I think was important to at least a large segment of this board. And I think the point about it is that um that in itself indicates perhaps a concern that is worth a difference in cost. And I just want to talk about the economy thing. Um, I suspect that the people who are going to support one on the grounds of economy are the same people who just 10 days ago voted to make someone the second highest paid educator in the county. And you know, you where you if you're going to make an economy argument, I think you have to be consistent if you're going to take that argument seriously. And I think that speaks
093to, you know, what we're talking about the difference in cost. Please. So, Christian, I appreciate your eight points. I do think some of them are stretched a bit. As a parent of special ed child who was never particularly enthralled with my experience, I never once met with Honeywell. So, I I just think we need to maybe hone these in a little bit, but I think um they all are certainly good points for us to consider and um to discuss because this is a really important decision. Um, I'm curious and and when I saw this, I thought, you know, there's a lot to unpack here to make a a pretty important decision. And this is probably not a discussion we can have here, but what are the specific situations where people felt like Honeywell didn't deliver
094what was expected for the school district because it's not always going to be in the favor of the board or the the public, right? It's it's um their their guidance. they're they're here for the school district in total. Um, so I feel like I would want a little more around that. Um, and I'm with Brendan in that like what are the other value ad pieces in terms of switching? Because a switch is a big I'm not saying we shouldn't do it, but I think it when you weigh out all the different elements, switching a law firm is going to be a big um shift to uh everybody, you know, and it's going to be a heavy lift. So, we have to consider that as well. Not a reason to stay with where we're at, just
095something to consider in our in our decision- making. Um, yeah, that's all I'm going to say. Thank you, Christine. Um, from the folks we haven't heard from, Bass, Richard, Carl, any thoughts, questions you'd like to share? Any of the three of you? Richard, thank you. Yeah, I'm not going to repeat what was said, but I personally feel that we should move in a different direction and TDWPM, if I said that right, I think they're a they seem to be a very strong candidate or legal counsel and having Tiffany who seems to support them. being a a lawyer, I think that I would definitely listen to her recommendation and I wish she was here tonight so she could speak more about it. Um, but yeah, I'm not going to repeat it what everyone else said. So,
096um, for the new council, um, Brendon, yeah, I mean, I Christian, just to go back to some of your points, I think the, um, I mean, the decision to not include council in the recent negotiations was mutual on both sides. They the um CCTA for forewent forego is that the past of for any um they went without their uh their nice at representation as kind of like a what I thought is a sign of good faith in the primary negotiators. I I could be wrong, but um anyway, the about the the grievances, I don't know if you can judge the law firm based on the number of grievances that were raised that they weren't in response to actions made by the law firm. If you want to take uh issue with how the grievances were
097resolved, um then I suppose that would be uh more in the realm of what the uh you know, judging the law firm's performance. But I would also add that in the time that Honeywell has still been our legal representation, the number of grievances per year has plummeted. So, it's it seems like that's independent of uh who was the law firm at the time. It seems like there were other factors involved. Um, look, not I I think that all of these things are are right for discussion, but I I still go back to like what are we getting out of almost $50,000 per year? I mean, I think it's dangerous to say, well, we spent more on this other thing, so we should spend more on this. We could have that discussion endlessly and then all
098of a sudden we've uh completely lost control of our expenses. So I don't want to go down that road of like hey if we we we have one exception then we can no longer uh you know validate each dollar that we spend. You know this a lot of this the the case against our current legal representation. I'm trying to boil it down to like I understand that there are individuals that have um that for whom Honeywell may not be you know their their preference but kind of to Christine's point when we're making an important decision like that this that does impact the taxpayer directly I I need a little bit more than just it's better if we go with someone else like I I I feel a responsibility to do a little bit more or
099to have a little bit more something more tangible to point at and say they are deficient here and this other firm is superior because of that other than just like Vibes and I feel like right now we're making this decision on Vibes and asking the taxpayer to pony up $46,000 for it if I can since my arguments I would like to respond Jim and I if other people want to come in who have not come in but yeah if I can just Um I I agree with a lot of what Brendan said and I just want to make um just two brief points and then I will kick it back to you. Um because you and Eleanor both mentioned the bargaining unit negotiation somehow being a black mark against Jeff and that was just a
100mutual decision between the CCTA and the administration to try and settle that contract um on a faster basis and thankfully they were able to do so and get a 5-year contract on time and everybody uh is thrilled with the outcome. So um that's one point. Another thing you mentioned is potential future litigation. potentially it's uh you know becoming more latigious uh in the kitchen in the uh educational space. A lot of times in my experience on the board here when we have litigation we actually don't even use our firm because it's uh separate issues that are outside of the scope. So it's land use issues and we bring in specialists there or there's other things. So, um, just wanted to throw that point out for consideration that, uh, when it comes to litigation, we may
101be using outside specialists or, you know, we've had other instances where our, uh, insurance company picks up the litigation and their firms are handling the litigation. So, I just want to throw that out there. Uh, but happy to, um, kick it back to you, Christian. Okay. So, let me respond to a few points. Um, let me start just in the order. Uh, uh, Christine. So I too am a parent of special needs children and um that's why I referred to a survey that's conducted every three years by every district in New York State. It's something that the national government responds to. So perhaps you had a better experience. And that's the thing though. So I never I'm sorry. I never dealt with Honeywell Christian. That's what I was saying. Exactly. So the point about it
102is that just because someone's not had a bad experience, the ones that do have the bad experience generally are the ones who are litigating it. And that kind of reflects in the survey. And it's not a one time, it's a it's twice. And we're the only district in the entire region that has failed on that measure. Christian twice. May I? So So do you want me to wait for you to finish all the points or can I respond to that one? Uh I don't think I'm finished responding to your point and I think I waited but I will if you would like me to stop then. So I can't talk about every case that has come before us for a variety of different reasons. So this is kind of like I would love to talk
103about some of them and why they influence my judgment. But that's why I use something that's in the public domain which is this data that is collected. It's on our school uh New York State report card and anyone can take a look at it. And so since the question that I was responding to is how do you justify the difference in cost when we know one and another one is a prospect. So basically that's an unfair comparison because well you have the one you know and then you have a different one. So that basically is setting up a frame where one is always going to win that uh that framing of that argument. So my point about it is I'm not going to base it on my own individual experience. I'm just saying is that
104there's some very clear data of how parents feel about their relationship, their interaction or their outcome in the district and it's grounded on other you know story other things that are specifically talking to individual families and families plural and that is one thing where I would justify a difference in cost. So that's on the special ed needs is just one of those things where what does a legal counsel interact with and what do we gain from a better relationship potentially with one of those with these different uh constituencies staff uh special needs families students and their families generally and also let's say just the community as a whole and I'll pause for Christine and then I'll continue. I was just making the point and I'm not saying to stay with Honeywell. That's not my argument,
105but I I feel like blanket statements that aren't representing what I think is um more detail that's appropriate. I too filled out that survey and I probably didn't give glowin remarks, but I never dealt with Honeywell. So, I'm just saying I don't see the direct correlation between the two. That's not worth debating right now. I it's it doesn't relate to them. I just wanted to clarify. So, I I Can I jump because it's re it's relevant to that specific point, but but if I Well, Jim, go ahead. I I'll let you and Christian work that out. Well, I was going to I had a followup on that particular point. Uh, Christian, so you you bring up the u the special needs cases and how um you feel that this other firm and I'm not going
106to repeat all the letters um would be superior, but I'm just curious again based on what do they have a particularly strong track record in this field? I I aside from saying they'll be better than Honeywell because they're not Honeywell, I I'm just not tracking that argument. and similar ones to it. So, I read a lot of commissioners decisions um and anyone's been following the meetings knows that and I will talk about them and cite them and quite a few are from these two different firms. I currently work in one of the firms that the Thomas Joan Waxon Pedigrew and Mail. So, I do actually know about some of the cases that they site in their proposal. I actually know the details of those cases because I know the people involved with that and I
107think they did a fairly good job. I would also say that the districts that they represent, they also have surveys of how their special needs families felt about it and they are significantly higher than ours. Um I'm not saying that if you looked at all of Honey Wells they wouldn't be, but that's just one of many points that I made about what would justify the difference in cost. And I think the point about it is it's not a correlation. Like the survey is done for a reason because it gives public information feedback on a general scale. And I think that's what we're going to make our decision on policy. Any individual case gets resolved in different ways. There's particulars of those cases. There are mistakes made. Even good people have misjudgments. But when you see
108it at a global level and you see it more than once, it becomes a cause of concern. And I'm not saying that this is a cause of concern, but you asked the question posed was what would make up for the difference in that cost? And on that point, if you don't want to compare my example of let's say a lack of economy, then you should not start with your own example of the lack of economy on another thing because that started with, you know, the 40 the 45,000 on the strategic plan. You introduced it. I think if you introduce it, you have to allow someone to say okay there's more than that story. um on latigious environment I think to respond to Jim's point on this um this is an argument for Thomas Strohan wax
109and pedigru and mail they're a much larger firm which has expertise in local government has expertise in a lot of different areas inside their practice and I think that means that they don't have to go outside for an outside specialist in things like land use or boundary rights or things some of the other things that we've had outside um council brought in on and I think that is an advantage that you're contracting a larger firm and also one that's local. Uh the Hudson Valley politics meaning the politics of communities is very different in the capital region than it is in the Hudson Valley. And as someone who's worked in lot different areas of the state, the types of issues that come up and the likelihood those become legal issues. I think you have a firm
110that has I I as I said if you just gave me the two list of of school districts and you said which group would you want to be a part of it's pretty clear to me at least and I think that that's why I'm I'm willing to say look I think we need to go in a different direction. I think the cost is minimal and I think I cited a lot of different reasons why I'm fairly confident in taking that step forward and I think the point about it is that if you just focus on the cost I mean then it's a very simple thing you're going to take the cheap the cheaper one but here's the thing you know you're not always saving when you pay less there's a general rule in economics when
111you look at it when you pay an employee less you get less productivity and it's basically cause and effect in that direction because what happens is you're signaling their worth and you're signaling their investment in their skills. And so I think that legal representation and council for this district um is worth the difference, the delta and the cost. And I think particularly in this environment, it's much more important. And I think that I responded to uh the points being made. But as I just want to emphasize something is that we spend money on a lot of different things. But you waste that investment when you don't. It's like, for example, you buy a very nice car, but then you don't go for the maintenance and the oil change. It's like, well, you shouldn't spend so
112much for the car if you weren't going to take advantage, you know, get your oil changes and maintenance on on schedule. And legal counsel is part of those things that makes other assets or other things we invest in and spend money on more effective. And we've had an example of that even just tonight in the public comment. And I don't think though, and it's not because of that particular one, but those things don't go away and they do influence our ability to do the core things that a school district is about. Thank you. Um, so here I'm going to suggest uh a path forward. Oh, Bass, please. Thanks, Jim. Yeah. Yeah. I am wanted to add uh that everybody knows by now my fiscal uh position, right? And uh $46,000. By the way, I was
113the one uh when we started the discussion by emails u when we knew kind of you know the proposals we got. I said let's uh make it possible for us uh to compare apples to apples and that was done and accomplished with the retaining hours and everything. So which made the decision much easier uh because it was a an apples to apples comparison. So the result of that was $46,000 difference. Uh we're going to you're going to ask I mean I'm not going to be here but uh the taxpayers to really uh come up with $46,000. Now, uh remember the budget and my positions are long. For me, that's not uh uh something I would agree with. Um another point I have is that um I don't personally agree with all the recommendations, all the
114opinions that we received from Honeywell and Brandon specifically is very familiar with one uh opinion they had which I did not agree with. So this is just to say I'm giving an example here. I'm very practical uh person uh that when you have a legal council, I mean uh you're not going to don't expect that you're going to agree with every single opinion they're going to give you. It's not going to happen, right? So, uh that that's a point I'd like to make. And uh another thing is like uh when I read both proposals I read them very carefully and I do read between the lines and there was a red flag in uh uh the other company not Honeywell the other one u there was a red flag in their proposal and I went
115with my gut feeling and uh to me that wasn't something I would uh like to have. Thank you Bass. Um, so I've got two um, uh, recommendations here to approve school legal council two resolutions, one for one firm, one for the other. Um, I think it's time to take a straw poll, see if we have votes for one or another. Um, and then see where we go from there. So, um, Honeywell is first on my page here. So, if anybody who is, uh, recommending Honeywell, uh, raise your hand. I I just I I just haven't been I don't feel like there's enough information for me to say it's $46,000 difference. I don't know if that conversation continues, but as of right now, I mean Okay. So, I'm sorry, Christine. Would I guess I'm abstaining right
116now. Not to be difficult. I I'm with I'm with Brendan. I just Okay. I don't know that I uh and then can we get a hand raise for TDWPM? So, we've got four to three to one. So, we do not have five votes for anything. Um so, we're going to um have to pick this back up in in July or August. Um and there might be procedural question Jim. Yeah. Since Tiffany is absent. Yes. Like I mean we had like four and four. I mean how would you you can't uh you can't vote like this. Huh? You need five. See you need five to support any resolution. Tiffany can't vote because she's not present tonight. Yeah. Um so and obviously we'll have to maintain legal counsel. So, um, at the July meeting, we will appoint
117Honeywell, uh, continuing on the current contract as legal council for the year, but there's an out in the contract. John, you 30 days, 60 days. I'm not sure what it is, but so we can make that change, uh, next year if, uh, that is the willow board at that time. So, we'll just have to pick this back up in the new year. Can I can I just say I think there's also another path, and I'm not saying advising this path, but there is another path, which is, you know, Tiffany has clearly indicated her preference. Um, Miss Gunn's new preference. Um, we could have another meeting where she's able to make it. We know the reason she's not able to make it tonight is that she's at the CO I believe at the Oral and Hudson
118Village where she's also a member. We could have a meeting to vote on this where we would have the full board and that would definitely mean that one would get A5 support. And I think it's important that we can do that because obviously in our first reorganization meeting, we do, you know, appoint legal counsel and what I said before about the two years that this has taken to even to get to this point. I think that delaying it, we have a board until June 30th, uh, including someone who has been part of the small committee and I think we could do that. um or knowing if we are confident that we know Tiffany's opinion of someone who would like to cast a vote for her so that her vote would count. Um and well I'm
119just saying like someone could decide to do that but I think the better way is to have another meeting with if potentially the full board could attend and make a decision. So it's not obvious that we have to wait till July is I guess the point that I was making. I I agree. I think we need a special meeting and we it it could be a 10-minute meeting just so that Tiffany is there and we could take the vote. Um agreed here. I'm thinking I hadn't really thought uh what would happen if we didn't get five. Uh I didn't really think it think about that. So um I guess we could call a special meeting. I mean Tiffany's uh preference is is clear. So we can arrange that by email if that's the way we
120want to go. Yeah. Okay. We will follow up via email. Um, next item is just uh discussion of board goals for the 2526 year. Um, really this is just an introduction of the topic. I don't think we're going to dive in depth tonight here at our last meeting of the year. Um, but just wanted to solicit opinions of anybody of what should be on our board goal list. Um for me personally, I think it's um two obvious ones would be uh conduct and finalize a permanent superintendent search process and um debate and uh potentially present to the public a capital project uh as that's kind of teed up for next year. So those would be two obvious ones for me. Um so just real briefly if anybody has one um to throw out uh kind
121of in concept and and language can be sent later. Obviously, we want the new board members to be involved in this, but can I just jump in for a minute? Um, I was just texting I just texted Tiffany to let her know just a quick question that I meant to ask before, but we were circling and I'm just going back to the legal council for a moment. Y because he is traveling from um up in the capital region, do we pay travel cost as well? Is that another consideration that we have to take into account for cost? Um, I'm sure we pay travel costs sometimes. I would imagine that it's significantly less than $40,000. I'm sure it is, but that is a cost, correct? It is a cost. Okay. But I I don't have the
122number on that, but yeah. Okay. Um Christian, you had a comment on um goals on just as adding to the list on board goals. Uh the first one is um there was a lot of community uh communication um last month about potential issues with the athletics program and it's not about any individual person but it raised some concerns that I think we need to perhaps give more attention and focus to. And so this is not necessarily a worded goal, but I think that's something that um perhaps should be top of mind uh to honor I think some of those some of those concerns and I think we all read them and I think you know we all found them concerning and I'm not sure that there's something there but I think that's something we should
123look into for you know how that affects our students and our athletes. Um, I think this has been there previously, but I think the strategic plan should be put back on to a goal. Um, I know it didn't make the budget for next year, but I do think that's something that we can work on with or without a firm working on it. We can certainly do some of the the prep work for that. And I think that could be part of the goal and that can be connected to the superintendent search and the capital project because I think that they are linked in several ways. Um, one other thing that I wanted to add and just a conversation I you know had just um walking around is and I suggested this last year is the
124code of conduct and I really think it's something that we need to give more attention to and you know a parent came up to me and talked about you know situation with their first grade um child and had a legal background and he specifically mentioned about issues with the code of conduct making it difficult to get it resolved. And I think that's something that not everything we do costs money, but I think that's something that we can do. Um, and I've suggested this in previous years, but I think it's something that I would want to put on the list. Thank you. Uh, anybody else have a board goal to suggest for um when we get into our discussion for next year? Pass. Yeah, thanks Jim. Uh just an idea definitely not uh wording specific but
125uh I would recommend like one of the goals to be uh focus on improving in any area where our scores are not obviously are not uh uh great let's say and you can like I'm talking about uh standardized test regions and uh all that uh published results that we got you presented uh Megan And it's easy for any uh observer doesn't have to be member of our community but anybody looking at the data when you compare subject A to subject B to subject C D so on so forth and it strikes you when in one subject you're not doing as well as you're doing in some other subjects. So looking back at the results that's data driven and make it our goal to be topnotch and everything. Thank you Bass. Uh anybody else? I have
126one more. I'm sorry I forgot this. If I may. Um, one thing that's come up, um, both in, you know, the visitation committee, but also the engagement survey, and this is not necessarily a district goal, but a board goal is the visibility of the board and the community engagement and outreach of the board. And I think that's certainly something that we can, you know, to to work on. And I mean, it's something that we can do better as far as how we going to do that going forward. And this could involve a lot of different things, but I think that's more of a board goal. And I'll just add one and sorry two one last one is you know getting to 137 seats in UPK which is we're within that. I know we've done it
127every year we've added another classroom but we would probably get to the state limit and that's something that we might want to consider. It's been in our bar goals the last uh two years and um I think it's something that can be part of the discussion. Great. Thank you. May I add one more? please. Okay. Um it's not about like uh the goals uh like specifically like to add or take one more um more or less but uh I would uh encourage the board to enforce uh an alignment between the board goals and the superintendent goals for somebody again doesn't have to be a member of community but an outsider to look for instance at the superintendent goals and see one two three whatever of those goals uh not uh mentioned by the board, it
128it doesn't uh wouldn't look good. So the alignment of those two goals, superintendent versus board, the alignment should be clear. Thank you. Anybody else? Brendon, my only suggestion was going to be that as we get more suggestions, um we did have an observation from I don't want to go too far into the conversation, but um someone that we spoke to with an outside view of our uh our district and our board uh observed that there would seem to be some disconnect in our goal setting process and in particular to the point that Bass just mentioned that a lot of of our board goals seem to just uh not be aligned with any specific district or superintendent goals. So I think we should start from that perspective. Just this discussion shows how quickly it can get
129out of hand when it becomes a Christmas tree of individual wishes which I agree with everyone's point you know but we need a better way to put this into a framework so that it's coherent. Thank you for that thought. Um, okay. With that, I'm not seeing anybody else jumping at the microphone, so we'll say thank you for kicking off that. Um, that brings us to public comment round two. Same ground rules apply. Any takers? All right. Uh, closing comments from BOE members. Uh, Christian I think I'll shock everyone and pass. Richard, thank you. I just want to congratulate everyone who is here tonight who retired or received tenure. It was all welld deserved and I just want to commend you for all of your years of service to the district and everything you have brought
130here. I want to wish uh Bass well and I appreciate you being on this board with me for the past three years. Um Tiffany as well. Just um thank her for her service and I want to wish Terry well in your new stop. So good luck and have a good night. Thank you, Richard. Carl, hi. I'd like to thank uh everybody um for coming tonight and uh congratulate you all. And uh Terry, I want to thank you for your five years. And actually um I was part of you for three, two on the board and one in the and uh so I I I appreciate getting to know you more and um I I congratulations on your Virginia trip. Thank you. And uh Bass, you know how I feel about you. We've already spoken about
131this several times. Thank you, Carl Eleanor. Um, unfortunately, they're all gone and but just um I I can't say enough about our starting with the retirees and everything that they have given to this district and they truly are the backbone and what drives our district forward and makes us as great as we are. Congratulations to the teachers who received tenure. Not an easy task. Um, and I had the pleasure of working with most of the retirees and uh several of the the new tenure teachers. So, it's been my pleasure to work with them. Bas, good luck. It's was very nice getting to know you. And Tiffany, I know she's not here, but good luck to you. and Terry, good luck to you and good luck to your district. And that's about it. Thank you, Brendan.
132So, uh, I'm not going to be brief as, uh, I Oh, no, he wrote stuff down. It's going to be going to be here all night. If I can interject, you may have my time. Oh, thank you, Christian. Appreciate that. Um, so, first, just some things that are germaine to the meeting. Um, yeah, the retirees. I know Lewis Arjenio, former board member, would always say this was his favorite night of the year. It gave him uh it inspired him to keep going, which kind of made me worry about Lewis's mental health that maybe there were some things he needed to talk about. But uh seeing the retirees, you know, you you think that uh that's possible and uh as long as that that dream was still alive for for others, it was alive for you.
133Um it it really is the best night. And then seeing the um the tenure recipients It's so seasonal. You know, you see people that have been in the district for 25, 30 years and then the the seeds planted for that next generation. Um there's something very cyclical to it and and always very satisfying uh to Meline and Ava. Although we will see them at uh graduation, you know, it's always great to see um that full year uh come to its conclusion with our board reps and they did a a wonderful job and and certainly good luck to them the rest of their academic year. Um, and congratulations to Megan uh on being named the interim superintendent. A, uh, an honor that is welld deserved and look forward to working with you uh, directly in that
134role in the next few months. All right. So, uh, I've now I've set myself up for, you know, being the person that delivers the board eulogies each time somebody leaves. So, it's kind of like the Hunger Games, you know, when the you sh you show the uh the picture of the fallen, but then I come in and give like a five-minute speech for some reason. So, uh since I've started doing it, I have to keep doing it for everybody, otherwise people would feel left out. Get going. Yeah. Yeah. Like, just keep it keep it rolling. We don't care what you say, just do it quickly. Um so, I'll start with Tiffany even though she's not here, but I know she's probably, you know, leaving her village meeting so she can uh watch this. Uh, so
135it's only been a year, Tiffany. I'm going to speak like you're you're here, which won't be weird. Uh, you've made an outsized impact on this board, I think, with uh you know what, I'm going to ditch the second person because I'll go third with her intelligence, professionalism, and passion. I can't think of any board member, and this is for real. I can't think of any board member who has so quickly jumped into very serious and important discussions as a quote rookie and not only contributed in a meaningful way, but in several cases has led those discussions, which really makes us think, you know, what are we doing? We we've been around for years and and here she comes and she's got the smartest things to say. Uh her ability to ask the right questions at
136the right time and perhaps more importantly, her sense of when it's time to move on uh have been noticed and appreciated. Most board members take a couple years to hit their stride. Uh but she came in sprinting. And among the many regrets I will have about her leaving, it's that we'll never get to see where she would have gone uh from here. But I leave this experience grateful um that we crossed paths. And I think for I speak for the entire board when I say uh we've all been very lucky to to have you. Now to Bass. Bass, I've got to say these last uh three years getting to know you have been very rewarding. I think when you joined the board three years ago, I don't think there were two members on the board
137who were more opposite than we were. But even that was based on our impression of each other and not the truth. Once we got to know each other, I think we realized that uh while we differed on some of the little things, we had the big things in common. We were committed to our families, to our kids, and we were driven by a sense of duty. Over the years, this has formed the basis for the deep and genuine respect that I have for you. I can't think of anyone on this board who is more principled than you are. Doesn't matter who is on what side of an argument, who is pressuring us from afar. If you think something is the right thing to do, you'll do it. Uh you'll never calculate like, well, if I
138do this, then I'll be able to do this. You've taken every issue that comes in front of us and judged it on the merits and measured it against your very clear sense of what is right and wrong. And while I haven't uh agreed on some of those conclusions, I want you to know that I have always admired your guts, your conviction, and your courage to always follow your north star. Uh but beyond being an obvious inspirational figure to all of us, you've made a real and lasting uh contribution to this board, Jim actually brought it up, stepping on my uh my speech here. Um and I urge my fellow board members to continue that in your absence. the process for collecting and sharing the board's votes at uh the NISSPA annual state uh statewide meeting.
139I know this took a ton of work uh that nobody asked you to do. You just took it upon yourself. Uh but it's allowed us to influence the direction of NISBA and therefore the New York State Legislature at a time when serious issues are being discussed there. So, uh a deep thank you for that Bass and I think we should all promise to keep that going. Uh, for now I just want to say thank you uh again for your commitment and your principal service for the many thoughtful and surprisingly fun conversations that we've had over the years. And I want you to know that even if we're parting ways on the board, you can always count on me as a friend. Good luck. And that's it. No, I'm just kidding. It's Terry. Um, so Terry,
140this is the uh this is the one I was hoping I would never have to give. Um, while I always knew that your home state of Virginia must have been calling you, there was a part of me that hoped that one day I'd hear that your entire extended family had moved to New York and was living across the street from you like some weird everybody loves Raymond situation and that we would have you forever. But of course, that didn't happen. So, here we are. I can say a lot of things, but I'll just try to keep it to a few. Number one, you have done an exceptional job as our superintendent, and I will always consider the decision to hire you as one of the best things I had the privilege to be a part
141of on this board. You came in during a time of almost unreasonable turmoil. For those who don't recall, Terry's first day was July 1st, 2020, which was the single worst time to start a new job. Uh just a few months into the pandemic when schools were closed, we had just had a remote driveby graduation that now feels like a fever dream. Uh and it wasn't clear if, when or how we would open in the fall. This would have been an enormous challenge for any superintendent, not to mention a new one. I mean, just imagine how hard this must have been for someone who had just taken the job, who was just learning where the bathrooms were, who because of COVID restrictions, couldn't even meet the staff that he now had to lead. I think about
142that often, and I continue to be amazed at how uh difficult that wasn't and how well you handled that. I remember the first virtual forum you had with the public about reopening schools. While the details of the the plan itself escaped me, the one thing I remember is you made a vow to the parents that you would do everything in your power to protect their kids. It was a surprising show of emotion from a superintendent and an early window into the thing that I makes I I believe makes you a special leader that you care that when you put aside the resume and the intelligence and the knowledge and the organizational knowhow, what you have is someone with a big heart and a deep sense of purpose. Terry would often say that his biggest responsibility
143is to keep every student safe. That as the son of a cop, he took that responsibility seriously. I know he did and I always appreciated that. But that's not the only thing that I admired him for. Terry has shown extraordinary poise in some very difficult circumstances. During some of our more contentious meetings, when people felt empowered to take personal shots at him, Terry responded with a level of dignity and grace that I don't think I would have had myself. And while those were just a few moments in time, to me, they point to the deep and strong character that lies just beneath the surface. And Terry, I just want to tell you how much of an impression that always left on me. But of course, now he goes back to Virginia to be closer to
144family and his original true home. And Terry, while it's hard to see you go, I know this is the right move for you and for the people who love you the most. After 5 years here, you'll leave behind a district that's stronger and more resilient because of your leadership. And while I'll miss working with you, uh, more than anything, I'll miss knowing that you're right down the road. So, thanks for everything. Uh, once a dragon, always a dragon, and you will never not be a friend. You Thank you, Brendan Bass. Thanks Jim. Um first I want to wish good luck for all the retirees after years of service. U so the best of luck in their ne next chapter in life. Uh congratulations to all the tenure teachers and staff and uh Terry, good luck
145uh in your new professional chapter and definitely uh congratulations on your doctorate degree. Um with that uh again you did uh Brandon you prepared a text I prepared a text as well. Um, thanks for the kind word. Uh, I appreciate it. Thank you very much. Uh, I'd like to go back to uh really what happened, right? I mean, I'm leaving uh you tonight and uh you're not going to see me again on the board. So, I'd like to say the following. Um, our voters passed the CCSD budget for the 2526 school year uh with a score of 1,123 yeses versus only 411 nos. Big margin. uh all of that while casting 588 votes for me as a BOE candidate. Okay. Now, if you look at the math, the numbers here are very clear in how
146the dynamics of voting for a BOE candidate played out. I was the only incumbent BOE candidate who opposed the budget. My opposition to the new budget resides in my fiscal conservatism principles uh while supporting excellence in education that encompasses students, teachers and non-eing staff. I am not suggesting that this is an easy task. It is not. currently going through a period of slow economic recovery after four long years of a COVID inflicted recession and mistakes made along the way. Six feet distancing outdoors, masks, what have you. All of this render renders this task even harder. Uh CCSD is not a private school relying on tuition, endowments, and substantial donations. CCSD obviously relies on our taxpayers. My message of going back to the drawing board, you heard me saying it over and over, uh to reshuffle
147the numbers and make them work for all the contracts that I approved as a BOE member for the 2526 school year and beyond. was probably too much to ask. All I was asking like let's go back and look at those numbers again. Reshuffling the numbers could have removed budget line items like giving the BOE $28,312 to spend on conferences and professional society's membership. funding for new equipment in some places rather than putting more mileage on existing equipment for another year and that's why we call it an annual budget. So on and so forth. In addition, using a higher amount from the CCSD appropriated fund balance to offset the tax levy increase could have been easily considered. On top of this, the New York State aid fund was above the estimated value that the proposed budget
148was above the estimated value in the proposed budget by a whole $254,320 in the board stood by the estimated value. I would call it a wrong value in the budget that the public ended up voting on. As a as I advocated for my fiscal position from the beginning of the long deliberation phase of the 2025 2026 budget budget and stood by it. We start talking about it in February. I put all along the interest of the stakeholders above my own interests and say playing it safe as I'm running for a second term on the on the board. However, I uh do stand by my principles. Uh I don't play games. That's the person I am. I definitely accepted the results and specifically thank all those who put their trust in me when they voted for
149me. Uh, and I'd like to finish by wishing the best of luck to the new board and to everybody involved one way or another with our beloved CCSD. Thank you. Thank you, Bass Christine. Oh, sorry. Um, so before I give my real comments, Christian, I'm sorry I interrupted you earlier. It gets the best of me sometimes. I work really hard on that. So when you see the mess up, just know it's not out of disrespect. Um, really congratulations to all of the retirees and the tenure folks. You know, when you hear about the impact the retirees have had on academics, on sports, on students, you know, it is just really incredible. 30 years, 20 years of um that just ultimate care. And what it makes me think of and what I challenge everyone to do
150is, you know, they had they had an impact on others and that was evident in all the wonderful things that were said about them. But imagine also the folks that never came forward and said about the impact they made. All the folks who, you know, went through their years of school and remember fondly the impact someone made on them, but never said it, never told them. So, my challenge to folks is to reach out and tell people you appreciate them or about the impact they've made on you. And um don't wait to do that. Um it's really it's it's better to go after Brendan because you can take some of his words when you're not very concise yourself. So, um well, finding the words are sometimes hard. Um, Bass, I think, um, the principled and,
151um, a man of your word for certain, and I know that we did not always agree and sometimes you would get the best of me, too, and I'd get fired up, but you always still were respectful. You would say hi to me when you passed me. It was it was left at the table, so to speak, and I really appreciate that. um and and your commitment to the district and um yeah, just standing by your word and and being principled, which is not an easy thing to do in this day and age. We think we do it, but we don't all do it well. Terry, I'm stealing um Brendan's words because I sat here and thought, how do I explain what I want to say? And um he used poise, dignity, and grace. And I
152think I've said to you, maybe not in those beautiful words, but you know, the not reacting, you know, I I react clearly and um I really have learned and I've watched and I've taken the deep breath and um it it gets you so much farther and I know um so thank you for setting that example amongst all the other things that you've done. But for me personally, that's been a significant impact and I thank you for that. Um thank you to our student board reps. um wishing them all the best in the future. And I do want to say too, um it's a little off topic, but I saw all these amazing track accolades in the last couple days. So, congratulations to all our athletes that won state championships. Um you know, it's a tough
153time of year, I imagine, to compete when you've got all these other year-end events happening. So, um kudos to all of them. Thank you. Um I have the benefit of I got to work in all of my uh congratulations uh to everybody during the meeting. So um I'll just say I'm kind of struck by um with what we have tonight with retirees leaving after 30 plus years of service. Uh people getting tenure, new people coming in only three years in our district. um that sort of just the cycle and thinking about the long term and the impact that Christine was talking about of a 30-year career. Um, you know, we've got graduates that we're going to send out into the world in a week and a half who've been our district for 13 years and
154elementary school and middle school moving up ceremonies this week of, uh, you know, kids who who are going through four or five years of of accomplishment and achievement and moving up to another building in the district. So, um, let's just all of us at this board table remember to take the long view of our actions here. Um, and remember that we are part of a, you know, group that came before us. We had Terresa Budage, a former board member, here tonight, and there'll be plenty of board members after we're all gone. And let's just all try to do our part to maintain the excellence uh of this district uh for the long term, uh for all the future students that will come through this district. So, uh with that, you know, to our curtain students,
155I know we've got finals coming up here, so finish strong, our high schoolers and middle schoolers, and congratulations to all those moving up and moving on. And uh with that, I will take a motion to adjurnn. So moved. A second. Second. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you very much. Um, have a great summer everybody.