Westfield Academy and Central School

WESTFIELD ACADEMY AND CENTRAL SCHOOL

WESTFIELD, NEW YORK 14787

Supplemental Business Meeting Minutes

Board of Education January 26, 2009

Large Group Instruction Room – 7:00 PM

Members Present: Stephen Zanghi Tony Pisicoli

Joy Bodemiller Edward LeBarron, Jr.

Marie Edwards Abbie Cardy

Timothy Smith Jeanne Habig

Katherine Archer

Members Absent: None

Others Present: Al Holbrook, Mark Sissel, Tina Winslow, Shirley Ibach (Observer), Jennifer Osborne-Coy, Nancy Walker, David Walker, Mary Ellen Benamati, Kent Knappenberger, Nancy Jopek, Kathy Probst

Board President, Stephen Zanghi, called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM, and led the assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. / CALL TO ORDER /
Mr. Holbrook presented to the board on a suggestion that Mark Winslow had made to the Board at the last Board of Education meeting. Mr. Winslow had suggested that the public be given a history of the fund balance. The concept of the fund balance is really complicated and has a lot of components. There are flows in the fund balance and parts are unpredictable. Mr. Holbrook went on to say the presentation was scheduled after consideration of Mr. Winslow’s suggestion.
The ST-3 is the balance sheet. It is 120 pages long and contains every fund and aspect of the school operation. The presentation covered the fund balance and consolidated balance sheet. As mentioned in the last Board meeting, the district’s Moody’s Rating has been upgraded from BAA2 to BAA1. It is a feather in the District’s cap and signals the general fund is fine.
The Fund A is the General Fund. The school no longer reports on a cash basis but on an accrual basis. The Fund Balance is listed on the balance sheet of every school district. If a school is in good shape, then they will have reserves and positive fund balance. There were a dozens of districts in New York State that have had a comptroller’s audit. The Comptroller is now saying that the fund balance is “rainy day” money and the people in the field (auditors) are slapping hands for having the fund balance. / PRESENTATION /
Mr. Holbrook said that cash assets and liabilities are a standard measurement of success. The 3:1 ratio equals a healthy business. A business is better off if it is five. At the beginning of the fiscal year, WACS was at 6:1.
On next year’s balance sheet, there will be an appropriated balance of $350,000 from unappropriated fund balance to reflect the Board’s decision to reduce the tax levy by appropriation fund balance to the 2008-09 budget. The Board of Education and the Ad Hoc Finance Committee receives the fund balance information every year. The projected fund balance is five years out and is needed and maintained. In 2000-2001, there was a trending down and a $1 million in the red. “We nickel and dimed our way out of the hole.” For every dollar we take out of fund balance, it takes two to return it. The presentation was lengthy, detailed and there were handouts. There were some questions and some discussion on this subject. More information will be forthcoming in the development of the 2009-10 budget. The Board requested further information and options before they make any decisions. / PRESENTATION CONT’D /
The BOCES Annual Meeting will be held on April 1, 2009. The Component Vote Date is set for April 21, 2009. The purpose of this meeting is to vote on the 2009-10 BOCES administrative budget and casting ballot in the election of members to serve on the BOCES Board.
The Legislative Breakfast is January 31, 2009. Registration is at 8:15 am. The breakfast will be held at Chautauqua Suites in Mayville. / BOARD COMMUNICATIONS /
a.  Discussion of Defeated Capital Reserve Options: The Board needs to develop a plan and figure out what direction to go in and look at the long term affect. There was discussion. Mr. Sissel suggested a presentation be done at the next meeting of the 5-year plan and recap the history.
b.  Revised 2009-10 Budget Building Parameters: The current consumer price index is approximately 3.8%. The budget increase: $410,078 (2.8%) to $702.991 (4.8%). The proposed 2009-10 Tax Levy will increase in the range of 0% - 2%: $0 to 106,172 (2%). / DISCUSSION ITEMS /
/ CONSENSUS ITEMS /
Moved Jeanne Habig, seconded by Abbie Cardy to accept the consensus items as follows: /
Recommendations from the Committee on Special Education and the Committee on Preschool Special Education from January 2 to January 20, 2009. / CSE/CPSE Recommendations /
Minutes of the Regular Business Meeting of January 12, 2009. / Minutes /
Treasurer’s Reports ending December 31, 2008. / Treasurer’s Report /
Extra Classroom Fund Report for December 2008. / Extra Classroom Fund Report /
/ ACTION ITEMS /
/ New Business /
Moved by Tony Pisicoli, seconded by Kathy Archer upon recommendation by the Superintendent to approve the Annual Trash Removal Bid for the period February 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010 to Bestway Container Service in the amount of $7,999.90. Bid results were as follows:
Bestway Container Serv ice = $7,999.90
Casella Waste Systems = $8,670.00
Interstate Waste Services No bid
The motion carried 9-0. / Approval of Annual Trash Removal Bid /
/ PERSONNEL ITEMS /
Moved by Jeanne Habig, seconded by Kathy Archer upon recommendation by the Superintendent to approve Cynthia Rosenbloom as substitute teacher’s aide and substitute cafeteria helper for the 2008-09 School Year and adopt the resolution for emergency conditional appointment.
WESTFIELD ACADEMY AND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION RESOLUTION
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby finds that an unforeseen emergency as defined in Section 1804(9)(c) of the Education Law has occurred, and therefore, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, Cynthia Rosenbloom is granted emergency conditional appointment. In accordance with Section 1804(9)(c) of the Education Law, these emergency conditional appointments shall terminate 20 business days from the date of commencement, or when the District is notified by the Commissioner of Education regarding conditional clearance, whichever occurs earlier. If the 20 business days expire or the Commissioner notifies the District that conditional clearance has not been granted, the appointment(s) shall terminate immediately without further action by this Board. If the Commissioner notifies the District that conditional clearance has been granted before the 20 business days expire, the appointment(s) shall continue as a conditional appointment. If the Commissioner thereafter notifies the District that an appointee has been denied clearance, the conditional appointment shall terminate immediately without further action by this Board; if the Commissioner notifies the District that an appointee has been granted clearance after the receipt of conditional clearance, the appointment shall continue, the conditional status shall be removed. The appointee has submitted a signed statement for emergency conditional appointment as provided in Section 1804(9)(c).
The motion carried 9-0. / Appointment of Cynthia Rosenbloom /
Kathy Archer asked that the recommendation by the Superintendent to approve Lawrence Studd as Acting Elementary Principal from February 3, 2009 to February 25, 2009 at a pay rate of $300.00 a day be discussed in executive session. / Withdrawal of Recommendation /
Moved by Kathy Archer, seconded by Jeanne Habig upon recommendation by the Superintendent to appoint Ashley Wassel as an unpaid psychologist intern for the spring of 2009. Jeanne Habig asked if she was fingerprinted. Mr. Sissel responded that as an unpaid position, she does not need to be fingerprinted and there is an agreement between WACS and the University. The motion carried 9-0. / Appointment of Ashley Wassel /
Moved by Tony Pisicoli, seconded by Kathy Archer upon recommendation by the Superintendent to appoint Janelle Post as a temporary 1:1 Elementary Teacher Aide for the remainder of the 2008-09 School Year. The motion carried 8-1 with Marie Edwards abstaining. / Appointment of Janelle Post /
Moved by Jeanne Habig, seconded by Tony Pisicoli upon recommendation by the Superintendent to appoint Michelle Mullane as a certified substitute teacher for K-12 for the remainder of the 2008-09 School Year, effective January 27, 2009. The motion carried 9-0. / Appointment of Michelle Mullane /
There was to response from the public for comment. / PUBLIC COMMENT /
Mr. Zanghi mentioned that the public comment was moved from the beginning of the agenda to the end of the meeting. The agenda is a work in progress.
On January 29, 2009, the Chamber of Commerce is holding an informational fair at Eason Hall at 7:00 p.m. in regards to the Merger process.
Mr. Zanghi commented that the January 22 meeting of the Joint Boards of Education was interesting and thanked everyone for coming. He asked that everyone remember to vote on February 5, 2009.
Kathy Archer asked if there was some way we could have some information provided about block schedule such as when we went to it, what results show, fact finding and data driven information. Marie Edwards commented that Ripley Central is on modified block scheduling. Abbie Cardy would like a comparison on block and modified block. Marie Edwards would also like to get the history on block scheduling. Mr. Sissel stated that the block scheduling went into place in 1999-2000 school year. He said that we need an Ad Hoc Committee to review block scheduling. Mr. Pisicoli and Mrs. Archer will volunteer to be on the committee. / BOARD COMMENTARY /
Moved by Kathy Archer, seconded by Jeanne Habig to create an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the history of block scheduling at WACS and look at advantages and disadvantages. The motion carried 9-0.
Ed LeBarron was referring to the Top Ten Taxpayers of the Town of Westfield and asked what the procedure was of grievance of taxes. The response was that you have to go to the assessor first and then to the State supreme court in Mayville. It was stated that you pay $25 to go to court. Mr. Holbrook stated that one business in Westfield, the grievance went on for 17 years and the reserve funds were used for claims on the file. He anticipates seeing more of these grievances.
Mrs. Habig stated that the food service program was a “happy” memo. / Ad Hoc Committee for Block Scheduling
BOARD COMMENTARY CONT’D /
Moved by Jeanne Habig, seconded by Kathy Archer to recess into executive session to discuss personnel and litigation at 8:33 pm. The motion carried 9-0. / RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION /
Moved by Jeanne Habig, seconded by Kathy Archer to return to regular session at 9:29 p.m. / Return to regular session /
Moved by Kathy Archer, seconded by Jeanne Habig upon recommendation by the Superintendent to appoint Lawrence Studd as Acting Elementary Principal from February 3, 2009 to February 25, 2009 at a pay rate of $300.00 a day. The motion carried 9-0. / Appointment of Lawrence Studd, Acting Elementary Principal /
Moved by Kathy Archer, seconded by Tony Pisicoli to return to adjourn the meeting. / ADJOURNMENT /

Respectfully Submitted,

Alan L. Holbrook

District Clerk