Board of Education meeting April 7, 2009

At the meeting, a brief budget presentation was made. It is essentially unchanged from the original presentation.

As a result of stimulus money, state aid will be increased by approximately $500,000. The interim superintendent strongly recommended that this one-time (although there may be a second payment next year) payment be used to fund capital improvements, rather than operating expenses. When added to a like amount already in the capital improvement fund, and leveraged with state aid for capital improvements, approximately $2 million in needed capital improvements can be funded with no tax increase. This makes a lot of sense and the board agreed.

In addition, the board announced that, pending final contract negotiations, a new school superintendent has been hired.

While not formally announced at the meeting, it is essentially public knowledge that board member Ric Campbell will be leaving the board due to increasing demands on his time at Bard College. His depth of experience and the perspective as an educator that he brought to the board will be missed and will leave a hole that hopefully can be filled.

At the next board meeting on April 21, the board will vote to adopt a budget.

At the May 12 meeting, the board will present the education plan and the budget, and the taxpayers' vote will take place on May 19.