The New Rochelle Board of Education will meet tonight at City Hall. The board will convene a Committee of the Whole Session at 5:30 p.m. in the Carew Room on the 2nd floor but will go immediately into Executive Session to interview candidates for the position of Principal at Trinity Elementary School, Principal at Columbus Elementary School and New Rochelle Athletic Director. The board expects to come out of Executive Session around 7:00 p.m. and reconvene the public session of the meeting. After the C.O.W. Meeting the board will move to the Board Room down the hall.
This will be the first meeting of the board since the news that two district employees were arrested in separate sex stings involving transmitting indent material to a minor. Electrician Patrick Clark was arrested by the Westchester County District Attorney two weeks ago. Librarian Marisa Anton was arrested by the New Rochelle Police Department last Wednesday.
If you are concerned that 3 employees of the New Rochelle Board of Education have been arrested in the past 14 months for sex crimes involving minors, 2 in the past 2 weeks, you might want to consider attending tonight’s meeting to inquire about the hiring process in New Rochelle, violations of state law regarding criminal background checks and administrative licensing.
Meeting details and an analysis of resolutions that caught our eye this week including more money for a few favored contractors, the official suspension of Patrick Clark, an appointment this month made retroactive to 2010 (always a red flag), $2 million in tax refunds, an Apple computer giveaway, and the Everett R. Dyer Award for Distinguished School Board Service to Mary Jane Reddington — all after the jump.
7:00 P.M. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SESSION AGENDA
I. Board of Education Announcements
II. Superintendent’s Report
A. Being an “Athletic Scholar” Student
B. School Board Recognition
C. Adult Education Program
D. Italian CILA Tuition Proposal
E. Tentative 2012-2013 Board of Education Meetings and Religious Holidays
III. Mandate Relief
IV. Review of Additional Draft Resolutions (click to read)
8:00 P.M. REGULAR MEETING BOARD ROOM
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL-CALL
FINANCIAL REPORT: (None)
CERTIFIED WARRANTS:
Accepting Certified Warrants for the Month of May, 2012, as Submitted by the Internal Claims Auditors.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:
Resolution No. 12-329 – Resolution Accepting the Donation of a Plaque Honoring Anthony Pappalardo, Ed.D.
Retirements: Certificates of Appreciation
COMMITTEE REPORTS: (None)
COMMUNICATIONS: (None)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: (None)
EDITOR’S NOTE: There appears to be several documents that will be discussed tonight that are supposed to be available on the web site prior to the meeting per Amy Paulin’s amendment to OML. I believe that includes the Italian CILA Tuition Proposal, the Tentative 2012-2013 Board of Education Meetings and Religious Holidays and the Certified Warrants from the Internal Claims Auditors. Perhaps there are others of which I am not aware. Further, there is no mention of when the public comment period is to be held.
RESOLUTION NO. 12-345 RESOLUTION AMENDING, AUTHORIZING, APPROVING AND/OR RATIFYING PURCHASE AWARDS FOR SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, IMPROVEMENTS AND/OR SERVICES, ETC., WITH REJECTIONS, ETC., AS NOTED, AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, BASED ON PUBLIC ADVERTISING AND SEALED BIDS
RESOLVED, that the awards for items of supplies, equipment, improvements and/or services, etc., in connection and in accordance with bid temlS and conditions of the Public Notice specified, be and hereby are approved and/or ratified as the lowest responsible bids, payable from funds appropriated in the Annual School Budget, unless otherwise noted, with approval or rejections, etc., as noted:
P.N. #429 2- Maintenance Mechanics (Carpentry, Electrical, Masonry, Painting & Plumbing (6 contracts)
If you are a fan of professional wrestling you will the “sealed” bidding process here in New Rochelle. No surprise here at all – lots of money here for George Wood, T&G Electronics and Zonzini. The usual scam where Gallagher and Rigos rain goodies down on their friends. Someone at City Hall should check the office supply closet, they might be low on little white envelopes after this contract gets approved!
RESOLUTION No. 12-321-12 SUSPENSION WITHOUT SALARY – BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
RESOLVED, that the suspension without salary of Employee 2011-201212 effective May 1, 2012, not to exceed 30 days, be and hereby is approved.
Patrick Clark? He is the electrician arrested by the DA on sex crimes involving a minor.
RESOLUTION No. 12-321-14 PERMANENT APPOINTMENT – BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
RESOLVED, that the permanent appointment of William Bonacci, Custodian, be and hereby is approved effective October 1, 2010.
Why is this being approved in 2012 when it is from 2010? This has invariably proven to indicate something improper. Just a matter of what it is this time.
There are several important resolutions regarding tax refunds and the fund balance.
RESOLUTION NO. 12-340 REFUNDS OF TAXES
Court Orders & Judgments Awarded to Taxpayers
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REFUNDS OF TAXES PLUS INTEREST BASED UPON COURT ORDERS AND JUDGMENTS AWARDED TO TAXPAYERS FOR PROPERTIES DESIGNATED ON THE OFFICIAL TAX ASSESSMENT MAP OF THE CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE
Total This Resolution School – $ 1,986,425.44/ Library – $48,998.60
So three weeks after the budget vote, on a budget with no line item for tax refunds, there is a resolution for $2 million. Was this in the 2012-12 budget? Nope. Considering all the agony over even one teaching position for $60,000, the money involved here is staggeringly large. The whopper in here is Greencroft, 3 apartment buildings on Pelham Road, totaling just over $1 million or half the total.
RESOLUTION NO. 12-341 RESOLUTION TO INCREASE THE TAX CERTIORARI RESERVE FOR THE 2011·2012 SCHOOL YEAR
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education be and hereby designates $2,500,000 of the Undesignated Fund Balance to be used to increase the City School District of New Rochelle’s General Fund Reserve For Tax Certiorari for the 2011·2012 School Year; and, be it further RESOLVED, that the following journal entry be posted to effect this transaction:
A909 $2,500,000 Unreserved Fund Balance
A864 $2,500,000 Reserve For Tax Certiorari
To record the increase o/the Reserve For Tax Certiorari/or the 2011·2012 School Year.
RESOLUTION NO. 12-342 RESOLUTION REDUCING THE TAX CERTIORARI RESERVE AND DESIGNATING THESE FUNDS TO INCREASE THE GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE REFUND OF PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education be and hereby designates $3,250,000 of the Reserve For Tax Certiorari to be used to increase the appropriations to the Refund of Property Taxes line of the 2011-2012 General Fund budget for the City School District of New Rochelle; and, be it further
RESOLVED, that the following journal entries be posted to effect this transaction:
A599 $3,250,000 Appropriated Fund Balance
A910 $3,250,000 Reserve-Appropriated Fund Balance
A864 $3,250,000 Reserve For Tax Certiorari
A960 $3,250,000 Appropriations
A1964400390000/1 $3,250,000 Refund of Tax Certiorari School District/Library
To record the reduction of Reserve For Tax Certiorari and increase to the appropriation of
funds to the Refund ofTax Certiorari for the School District and Library expenditure budget.
And, be it further
RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect immediately.
RESOLUTION No. 12-321-18 LEAVE OF ABSENCE WITHOUT SALARY – BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
RESOLVED, that the medical leave of absence without salary requested by Nicholas Girone, Plumber, for the period May 31, 2012 through June 30, 2012, be and hereby is approved.
30 day medical leave? Hmmmm.
RESOLUTION No. 12-321-6 TERMINATION – IEYMS – CLERICAL
RESOLVED, that the provisional appointment of Linda Morris, Senior Clerk, be and hereby is terminated effective the close of business June 30, 2012.
Is there any story to this? Usually there is? Maybe not. We shall see.
RESOLUTION No. 12-321-11 OUT-OF-TITLE PAY – BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
WHEREAS, Kevin Lasser, Secondary Plant Supervisor, has retired, be it therefore resolved that Dennis Dibuono, Assistant Custodian, has assumed the duties of Custodian, be authorized and approved for out-of-title $326.33 per pay period effective April 1,2012.
Was there any state requirement for this to be a competitive position? Is there any state exam required?
RESOLUTION NO. 12-332 RESOLUTION DECLARING COMPUTER EQUIPMENT LOCATED AT TRINITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BE DEEMED OBSOLETE
WHEREAS, in accordance with Board of Education Policy No, 3250 and Superintendent’s Regulation No, 325, “Sale and Disposal of Books, Equipment, Furniture & Supplies”, the Superintendent of Schools has determined that the following equipment has been deemed unrepairable and should therefore be declared obsolete:
A quick Google price check shows the iBook G3 A1005 goes for between $39 and $75. The district is disposing of 46 of them tonight. The value is between $1,750 and $3,500, While they have value, they are also from 2003. I have to wonder who was actually using these computers. In any case, I am happy to take delivery of all of these computers at a time and place of the district’s choosing.
RESOLUTION NO. 12-338 ELECTION
–Official Results of Ca nvass of Votes Cast
–Annual School Election/Budget Vote
–Tuesday, May 15,2012
RESOLUTION DECLARING THE RESULT OF THE CANVASS OF THE VOTES CAST AT THE ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION/BUDGET VOTE, TUESDAY, MAY 15 2012
This makes it official.
RESOLUTION NO. 12-344 RESOLUTION NOMINATING MARY JANE REDDINGTON, MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, FOR THE EVERETT R. DYER AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New Rochelle hereby nominates Mary Jane Reddington, Member of the Board of Education for the Everett R. Dyer Award for Distinguished School Board Service; and, be it further RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect as of May 30, 2012.
Jefferson Elementary School
I work in the district and from what I was told from a higher up is that Jefferson elementary school, the building is toxic and the admin has been trying to keep it a secret. Its has dangerous levels of mold and even asbestos which a custodian had reported to city hall but has got no answer. Some school employees who work at Jefferson have pulled there kids from the school. when I was in a meeting with the social worker at Jefferson I asked her about it, she confirmed it but said they tell people that the building is “very dry” and she tries to leave her room as much as she can. Can someone look into this o call osha. I work for the district and this is not good. Maybe this can come up at the meeting.
BoE Reply on Jefferson School
Per your request, I made inquiries with the Board of Education and received the following from Board President Chrisanne Petrone:
She encourages you to contact the BoE at the following:
Board of Education
City School District of New Rochelle
515 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801
(914) 217-7112
Anyone call OSHA including you if you like:
To Report Unsafe Working Conditions or Safety & Health Violations:
Contact the OSHA Office nearest you, see map of offices, or, contact our toll free number: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)… TTY 1-877-889-5627.
To File a Complaint Form:
To file an OSHA-7 report online, see How to File a Complaint with OSHA.
Julie Berry
The social worker at Jefferson elementary Julie Berry allegedly 🙂 told her circle of friends that “People are snitchin” I guess she meant snitching on her and “it better stop”. Here is my concern, what comes first, kids and there safety or “snitchin”. I am really upset by this whole matter.