Notes – Community Forum – Board of Education – New Paltz Central High School – February 25, 2009 – 7:00 PM

COMMUNITY BUDGET FORUM

CALL MEETING TO ORDER                                                                                                                                 CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM by David Dukler, Board President. Superintendent Maria Rice was appointed as Clerk Pro Tempore by Mr. Dukler.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:                                                                                                                              QUORUM CHECK
                                                                Roderick Dressel Jr.
David Dukler
Steven Greenfield
Don Kerr
Patrick Rausch
                                                                Edgar Rodriguez

ALSO PRESENT:                 Maria Rice, Superintendent of Schools
                                                               
President Dukler welcomed the members of the community and explained that the purpose of the evening’s budget forum was to engage the community in a conversation about alternative revenue ideas, questions regarding the proposed budget and recommendations regarding the budget.

Prior to opening the meeting to community dialogue, Superintendent Rice gave a brief overview of the proposed budget.

The meeting was opened to community comments, questions, and recommendations including the following:

1. Chuck Proietty – Sports programs up to parents
2. Ralph Scandalliato – Transportation; Old District Office
3. KT Tobin Flusser – Nutrition Task Force dollars restored; Critical evaluation of the Board of Education, Superintendent, Business Office lines; Do not cut professional development; Do not charge for use of buildings; Conservation; Transportation – neighborhood bus stops; Aquifers under High School or Lenape; Wind turbine at High School
4. David Porter – Nutrition Task Force – Restore funds; Stoneleigh Woods – 71 students projected
5. Mathew Swerdloff – Outsourcing transportation; Nutrition Task Force – restore funds
6. Linda Geary – More detail
7. John Lemek – Where is next $600,000 worth of cuts?
8. Ralph Scandalliato – Leasing buses?
9. Mike Swigart – Buses
10. Matthew Maley – Size of buses
11. Bill Mulcahy – More detail; Cost of heat?
12. John Lemek – Keep elementary foreign language: Don’t cut budget any more – 7% OK
13. Mathew Swerdloff – Out of district Special Education; Heat in Middle School
14. Robert Lemark – Would vote for budget; Don’t cut sports
15. Andrea Mannix – Smaller buses for sports teams

ADJOURN                                                                                                                                                                            ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 P.M. by President Dukler.

Respectfully submitted,

________________________
Maria C. Rice
Clerk Pro Tempore