March 4, 2021

The Waterford-Halfmoon Union Free School District Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting dated March 4, 2021 was called to order at 6:04 by Mrs. Ricci.

Present: Marcia Ricci, David Lee, Denise Carutasu, Jamie Maloney, Carolyn Bell

Also Present: (in person) Patrick Pomerville, Rachel Ingalsbe

Also Present: (via Webex) Jack Catanzarita 

Ms. Ingalsbe presented a summary of the 2021-2021 district budget and the second draft of the preliminary 2021-2022 district budget. (See attached)

The Board appreciated all of Mr. Pomerville and Ms. Ingalsbe’s efforts to present various budget options from a 0% to 2% tax increase for the community while maintaining current services and staff. Discussions took place regarding what could be gained by a budget increase such as purchasing buses to replace buses with expiring leases, extracurriculars for students, and filling current faculty openings. It was also mentioned that the District has put out budgets below the tax cap in past years, and those funds can not be made up in the future. Mr. Pomerville recommended that at our next Finance Committee meeting on March 18th there would be a shorter presentation allowing more time to discuss the impact of different percentage increases to the 2021-2022 budget.

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The Waterford-Halfmoon Union Free School District Board of Education Regular Meeting dated March 4, 2021 was called to order at 7:03 by Mrs. Ricci, who then led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Present: Marcia Ricci, David Lee, Denise Carutasu, Jamie Maloney, Carolyn Bell

Also Present: (in person) Patrick Pomerville, Rachel Ingalsbe, Joel Richardson

Also Present: (via Webex) Jack Catanzarita, Assemblymember John McDonald

There were no comments from the public regarding items on this evening’s agenda.

Comments from Administration

Mr. Richardson reported the following:

  • The winter athletic season is drawing to an end and the District was able to have Girls Varsity Basketball, Boys Varsity Basketball and Bowling compete. The Fall II sports season, with Volleyball, Soccer and Golf,will be starting shortly. 
  • The Cohoes-Waterford Elks Lodge chose the District winners for their essay contest, and our own eighth grader, Katie Stallmer, has been chosen to have her essay submitted for the state level competition.
  • The Department of Education rejected New York State’s request to waive assessments. While it has yet to be determined on how this will proceed, elementary assessments for grades 3-8 in Math and ELA, as well as 4th and 8th grade Science assessments will take place. At the high school level, it is believed that only the ELA, Earth Science, Living Environment and Algebra Regents will take place, while the remaining assessments will be canceled. The state is considering waiving the Regents exams required for graduation. We should get a clearer picture in mid-March when the Board of Regents meets. Mrs. Carutasu asked due to test security, how the virtual students would participate in assessments. Mr. Richardson responded that virtual students will not be required to take part. Mrs. Carutasu also asked if the reduction of three students in the current senior class was due to January graduations and Mr. Richardson responded that she was correct. 

Mr. Pomerville reported on the following:

  • COVID-19 Update: There are no positive cases in grades K-12 at this time. Conversations have begun regarding graduation, prom, moving-up day, and awards night. The high school administration will be providing more detailed information to the community as those events draw closer.
  • Finance presentations are posted on our website under the District’s page for Budget and Taxes for those that are unable to attend the meetings. The District is working to bring a strong budget that is both supportive of education for our students and fiscally responsible to the community. Our next finance meeting will be held on Thursday, March 18th at 6:00pm. There will be a Webex link for the meeting posted on the website.
  • Mr. Pomerville will be scheduling a facilities committee meeting to look at 100K projects/long term planning and discuss some updates to our upcoming Capital Project.
  • Mr. Pomerville went over the reasoning that was used to come to a salary for our new Director of Facilities.
    • Two full searches were completed starting back in June of 2020.  In the first search three candidates were offered the position and all three declined the position.  One of the reasons that the candidates declined was the level of the salary which at that time was $75,000. A second search was held and one candidate was selected and initially accepted but then declined due to a higher salary offer at a different district. 
    • In speaking with seated facility directors about our struggle to find a qualified candidate, many noted that in the current pandemic many Directors of Facilities were not comfortable leaving a secure position to accept a new position that would come with a probationary appointment and a new building to clean and sanitize during a worldwide pandemic.
    • The field of qualified candidates is extremely limited. We did not want to lower our standards and accept a candidate simply to fill such a valuable position.
    • The candidate that we are putting in front of the Board this evening brings extensive experience as a Director of Facilities.  We believe he will help us to reduce repair and maintenance costs in future budgets with his experience. He also has experience in project management and construction and we have already had conversations with our architect about how to utilize his skills to reduce capital project manager costs.
    • While his salary is not what we originally had set, we feel that his position and knowledge will bring cost savings to the district that will justify his appointment and salary level. 

PRESENTATION - Assemblymember John McDonald

  • The assemblymember appreciated Mr. Pomerville and the Board for having him in to update them on the 2022 New York State Budget process, as well as thank them for all of the hard work they have put in during this difficult year.
  • Mr. McDonald was happy to report that the proposed 20% state budget cuts have been reduced to 5%. The state is proposing $300 million for education funding with help from the federal government, an increase in foundation aid, and revenue enhancers on the ultra-wealthy.
  • The governor would like to consolidate state based aid, however the legislature will fight against this as they usually do.
  • Changes to the STAR program are confusing for many of our senior citizens and the Legislature is debating how to provide STAR recipients with a better understanding of the rebates and a quicker response to their inquiries.
  • Due to lost time for students because of the pandemic, the Legislature wants to make sure that students and educators do not suffer any undue pressure from taking part in yearly educational assessments.
  • Mr. Pomerville asked if the Legislature had any input in making statewide recommendations regarding social distancing in classrooms. Mr. McDonald replied that each county health department wants to make their own decisions, and it depends on how they choose to interpret the guidance, but he would need to get back to Mr. Pomerville with more detailed information.

FIRST READING

SECOND READING

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the Minutes of the February 11, 2021 Board of Education Meeting.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the Warrants and Corresponding Claims Audits. Mrs. Ricci asked about payments to Caliber Collision (Insurance Deductible for Damage to School Van), Expressive Journeys (Related Service - Music Therapy), and River Valley Radio (Maintenance to bus and school radios)

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the Policy 1640 Absentee Ballots.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the following resolution,

                BE IT RESOLVED that the Waterford-Halfmoon Union Free School District hereby nominates the following individual, David Petruska, for election to the Washington-Saratoga- Warren-Hamilton-Essex Board of Cooperative Educational Services to fill one of three (3) partial terms, effective April 28, 2021, or as soon thereafter as the individual may be sworn in, and expiring June 30, 2023, and five (5) full terms, one (1) effective April 28, 2021 and four (4) effective July 1, 2021, all expiring June 30, 2024.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the one year probationary appointment of Kathryn Corbett as High School Hall Monitor; effective March 1, 2021; seven hours per day; salary per the CSEA contract.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the following as elementary substitute teachers for the 2020-2021 school year, Molly Byron, Martha DeGrazia, Alexandra Keen, Madeline Mazzotta, and Haroon Sarwer; salary per the policy on substitute teacher pay.

 

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the health service contract to be paid by the Waterford-Halfmoon UFSD to the South Colonie CSD for eleven students in the amount of $8,569.99.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the following resolution;

WHEREAS, in 2001, by a majority vote of the qualified voters, a Capital Reserve was established for future building repairs in an amount not to exceed $10,000; and

WHEREAS, since the establishment of such Reserve, the District inadvertently contributed in excess of the $10,000, for a total of $33,640.57; and 

WHEREAS, to cure such defect, the District wishes to transfer the amount exceeding $10,000 (the “overage”) back to the General Fund Balance, where such amounts were derived. 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Board of Education hereby authorizes a transfer of $23,640.57, constituting the “overage” in such account, from the Capital Reserve created in 2001, to the General Fund, effective March 5, 2021.  This shall leave a balance of $10,000 within this reserve.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board authorized participation in the Cooperative Purchasing Program coordinated by Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex counties BOCES for bids awarded in the 2021-2022 school year for the following commodities; bread, ice cream; milk, canned-frozen meat, NOI (net-off invoice food products), produce, cafeteria paper products, USDA commodity-fee for service (FFS), custodial products, copy paper and envelopes.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the following resolution,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Waterford Halfmoon Union Free School District, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, does hereby correct the appointment of Occupational Therapist, Lisa Petersen, retroactive to September 1, 2019, to be that of a licensed professional. The District mistakenly appointed Ms. Petersen as an Occupational Therapist in a tenure track position, which is hereby rescinded.  Ms. Petersen is hereby granted permanent status as a Registered Occupational Therapist, retroactive to August 31, 2020.   Ms. Petersen will continue to be a member of the Waterford Teachers Association unit, with all the rights and benefits of that agreement.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the 2020-2021 health service contracts to be billed by the Waterford-Halfmoon UFSD and collected from the following districts: Mrs. Carutasu asked how this is different from the South Colonie contract that was just approved. This list of contracts is the schools that pay us for providing health services, and we pay South Colonie CSD for providing health services to a student registered in the Waterford-Halfmoon UFSD.

  • Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake SD              2 children        $   1,937.82
  • Cohoes School District                      6 children        $   5,813.46
  • Green Island School District              2 children        $    1,937.82
  • Hoosic Valley School District              3 children        $    2,906.73
  • Lansingburgh School District              6 children        $  44,569.86
  • Mechanicville School District              8 children         $    7,751.28
  • North Colonie School District              1 child             $       968.91
  • Saratoga Springs CSD                        1 child             $       968.91
  • Stillwater CSD                                   1 child             $        968.91
  • Troy School District                            4 children        $     3,875.64
  • Watervliet School District                    4 children        $     3,875.64

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the Erie 1 BOCES Final Service Request for the 2021-2022 school year for the amount of $1795.00

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the one year probationary appointment of Brian Dengler as Director of Facilities III effective March 29, 2021 through March 29, 2022; prorated salary of $90,000, sixteen sick days, three personal days and twenty vacation days to be prorated; other benefits per the Confidential Contract.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board adopted as amended the minutes of the February 4, 2021 Board of Education meeting.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board appointed Caitlyn Class as a volunteer coach for the Varsity Volleyball Fall II 2020-2021 school year; pending fingerprint approval.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board appointed Noah Bentley as substitute custodian for the 2020-2021 school year effective 9/14/2020; salary per the CSEA contract. Mrs. Ricci asked about the effective date, and Mrs. Ingalsbe replied that she had forgotten to add Mr. Bentley for approval at the time of his hire, and this would rectify the mistake.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board approved the unpaid leave of absence for Kimberly Bryan, Elementary Teaching Assistant; effective March 8, 2021 through March 19, 2021.

On motion by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mrs. Maloney, and by a vote of 6-0 the Board went into executive session to discuss negotiations and a personnel matter at 7:53pm. The Board returned to regular session at 8:50pm and adjourned.

                                                                          Donna Cramer

                                                                          District Clerk

Audit report Capital Fund 02-10-21.pdf
Audit report Extra class 02-10-21.pdf
Audit report - General Fund 02-1-21.pdf
Audit report - General Fund 02-10-21.pdf
Audit Report School Lunch 02-10-21.pdf
Audit report special aid 02-10-21.pdf