Student representative to the school board

Question: How is the student representative to the Board of Education selected?

Answer: The student representative to the Board of Education is elected by his or her peers in the fall during class officer elections. Traditionally, the student representative is a member of the senior class.
- answered by Georgia Baldwin, district clerk

"Strictly and consistently" enforcing the Code of Conduct

Question: It states on the school website that one of the Board of Education goals this year is to improve the school culture by ensuring faculty and staff "strictly" and "consistently" enforce the district's Code of Conduct. Several parents have been talking about how, at the middle school, their child has had to call home for new/different clothes. Mine included. I would call myself a pretty conservative dresser and I insist on the same from my children. So, when I received the phone call to bring my daughter new clothes I was, to say the least, surprised! But I brought clothes and told my daughter, "I don't make the rules," and even though she may not believe she is dressed inappropriately, if the school says she needs to change, she needs to change! And to be honest, I'm glad it is finally being addressed -- there is definitely inappropriate dressing going on at the middle school and high school! So, my question is, are the same "strict/consistent" code of conduct rules being enforced at the high school?

Answer: Thank you for your question. We recognize how challenging and complex it is for parents to address appropriate attire with their children when many commercially available clothes for children do not necessarily adhere to our school dress code.

At B-P, we have four buildings, 300 staff members and nearly 1800 students, which makes consistency in any endeavor difficult. We're not perfect -- as much as we try to be consistent, there will always be instances when things fall through the cracks. However, rest assured that we have a renewed vision for creating consistent responses to all students, K-12, who are inappropriately dressed for school in violation of our Code of Conduct.

We recognize that our consistency (or lack thereof) in reacting to students' inappropriate dress has been a concern in the past, and we're looking to improve on this consistency.

We want to work with both children and parents to make school a positive experience for all, and that includes working toward meeting the board goal of strictly and consistently enforcing our code of conduct, including our dress code.
- answered by Stephen Tomlinson, superintendent of schools

Budget update

Question: Last year at this time, we were in the midst of a difficult budget process. The district did a good job with the public forums informing the taxpayers as to the tough situation our district faced. At the time we were warned that the next year's budget would be just as difficult. My question is, where do we stand as a district in formulating next year's budget and what tough choices are being contemplated at this time, including the progress on negotiations with the teachers' union?

Answer: Our budget situation is different this year than in the past because of changes made at the state level. Our state aid and our local property tax levy -- Broadalbin-Perth's primary sources of revenue -- have, for the most part, already been determined. Because of this, our budget situation is fairly black and white -- I encourage you to read the letter I sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this month to learn about the cuts we will have to make if our situation remains the same.

UPDATED: "Healthy" fund balance & HRBRRD back taxes

Question: I understand that Mr. Tomlinson has suggested that the Board use the $475,000 coming to B-P from the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District be used to replenish the fund balance. My question, in "good economical times," what was considered a "healthy" fund balance? What is the fund balance now? Also, Northville will be using some of the back taxes to cut the tax levy for their residents. Since these owed taxes were one of the issues, among others, brought up in the past to justify the hefty tax increases in the district, would the Board be as considerate as Northville, and pass on a cut to their taxpayers as well?

Answer: People have different opinions about what constitutes a "healthy" fund balance. Most of the bond rating agencies – Moody’s, Standard & Poors, and Fitch – recommend a fund balance between 7 and 13 percent of a municipality’s total budget. Other agencies recommend maintaining enough fund balance to cover up to three months’ worth of expenses, which would amount to 25 percent of a municipality's total budget – for B-P, this would be $7.25 million. In general, 5 percent is considered the absolute minimum.

Tuition fees for teachers' children

Question: I have a question regarding tuition fees charged for students going to B-P from other school districts. I know a family from Galway who wanted to get their children into B-P schools this coming September, but they said the tuition was going to be $4,600 per child. The Galway family then said the B-P teachers who live out of the B-P district only pay $500 per child for their children to go to B-P. I thought the $500 per child tuition benefit for teachers was eliminated two years ago, and the out-of-district teachers at B-P are not B-P taxpayers, so this is concerning.

Answer: Two years ago, the tuition for children of B-P teachers was zero. The Board of Education changed the policy, raising the tuition to $500 per child. There are currently eight teachers and 13 students who are affected by this policy.
- answered by Ed Szumowski, Board of Education President

Charging students for admission to athletic events

Question: Please explain the reasoning behind the board's decision to not charge students admission for athletic events. With the district crying poverty and blaming the taxpayers for the youth commission and other organizations now having to pay a fee to use the facilities one would think the district would want to raise any funds it can. Also, is there not a cost to hold these athletic events, i.e. lighting, paying the coaches, paying the teachers to sell tickets? Even if the district charged $1 for students it would be something. So, with the board deciding to decline this opportunity to make a little extra money, they shouldn't be telling the taxpayers, "They did it to themselves." Also, if they are not going to charge students, how about having the teachers volunteer to sell tickets instead of being paid?

Answer: This decision was the result of a cost/benefit analysis.

The position put forward in your question is one that was put forward in our conversation when we set the price for sporting events. The total amount earned by ticket prices for all sporting events last year was approximately $16,000. It's true that a portion of this revenue will be lost by allowing students to attend at no cost. At least one board member said approximately the same thing you said in your question: We say we need money but eliminate a revenue source, and that's a contradiction.

Follow-up question about Board of Education meeting minutes

Question: As a follow up to the request that BOE meeting minutes be available online, to the Public, in draft form, to avoid a one month turn around time, Mr. Tomlinson's response was that it could not be done at this time. I wanted to give you something directly taken from the Committee on Open Government website, concerning the Open Meeting Law: "The Law states that minutes of open meetings must be made available within two weeks of the meeting; minutes of executive sessions must be made available within one week of the executive session. It has been suggested that if the minutes have not been approved, they may be marked "draft," "unapproved," or "non-final" when they are disclosed." I would like to request that the March BOE meeting minutes be posted on the website, as well as the meeting minutes taken from the Sunday BOE meeting held this month (April), prior to Easter vacation, as to comply with the one-two week regulation. Thank you.


Answer: After consulting with our attorneys, we will be making a change to the way we make Board of Education meeting minutes available.

Although Board of Education meeting minutes are not legally required to be on the website, we agree that draft meeting minutes should be available to the public within two weeks of the meeting date.

Minutes from the April 3 and March regular board meeting are now available. To view the minutes, click here.

In the future, all regular Board of Education draft meeting minutes will be posted within two weeks of Board of Education meetings. In addition, any minutes that reflect a formal vote within an executive session will be posted within one week.
-answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

Comments regarding pay freeze

Question: I am very discouraged that our BOE would attempt to degrade a tax payer by calling the tax payer's opinions "emotional" and referring to them as seeking "retribution."

Many tax payers wish for our BOE representatives to press the BPTA for a 100% pay freeze for all of 2011/2012, and in addition to that if an ethical pay freeze such as mentioned above is not reached then many tax payers would accept additional teachers being eliminated - this is not retribution, it is an attempt to close the budget gap. As tax payers should we attempt to negotiate with teachers to save their jobs? Have the teachers considered our community's elderly and disabled who live on a fixed income and cannot support another tax increase, what about so many of the families in this community who are financially under water, have the teachers considered them? But as a community we should not share our honest opinions for fear it will be taken out on our children? The BOE wants us to focus our efforts on changing Taylor's Law; is the teacher's union attempting to change that law? Come on. Tax payers who speak up are not anti-teacher, we love our teachers, we love our school, and teaching is a very challenging job, we respect that, but we need to make some difficult decisions. Mr. Szumowski, in all fairness to tax payers, this submission should be posted, this is a forum for tax payers to communicate, with the District, with each other, and there is no more important time than now, for tax payers to contemplate all sides to this budget process.
-submitted by Kellie Whitman
 
Answer: Mrs Whitman, I have heard it said, and have since repeated, that communication is the hardest thing we do. This is a pitfall of forums such as Patriot Plain Talk - they're more suited to question-and-answer interactions than dialogue. No insult was intended in the response to your most recent post.

The point about children bearing the cost of decisions we make should be clear: fewer teachers and programs reduce the opportunities for learning and achievement.

The Board of Education negotiated formally with the BPTA (attorneys for both sides were present) and did not come to agreement. If agreement is not reached there is no alternative.

Details of formal negotiations are private under law.

Our desire to focus on reform of the law has two purposes: to produce tangible, meaningful results and elevate the conversation above the typical us-versus-them conflict. Without reform we will be forced to conduct business as usual.
-answered by Ed Szumowski, Board of Education Vice President

Can draft BOE minutes be posted online?

Question: Is it possble for the BOE to post the unofficial minutes from their meetings like Galway does? In these changing times a month is a long time to wait to find out what is going on and not everyone can make every meeting. I read the minutes as soon as they are posted to keep up, but they are very old by the time they are posted. Galway posts them in draft form until they are approved. Seems to me that this should be an option to keep the community informed. Thank you.

Answer: Not at this time. The Board of Education will consider this at its reorganizational meeting in July.
-answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

Conflict of interest?

Question: Although expected in a small community, I am concerned that there may be too many ‘Conflicts of Interest’, among members of the BOE and BPCSD Administration.

Answer: Several BOE members have family and friends who work in the district. They were also duly elected to their positions by the taxpayers. It's perfectly acceptable for you to express concerns about their interests. It's also important that every decision made isn't treated as tainted just because of these relationships - somehow the business of the board must be done and these are the volunteers who have been elected to do it. Board of Education positions open each year and anyone can run.

Everyone involved is aware that this concern exists. Both the perception and the reality of such conflicts are topics of conversation during our meetings. Whenever decisions of the Board deal with family those members are required to abstain from voting.
-answered by Ed Szumowski, Board of Education Vice President

Who on the board reviews district expenditures?

Question: Who on the BOE, is continuously and frequently reviewing detailed invoices that are being paid from our school district, as a check and balance, to ensure our money is being spent in the most cost-effective manner?

Answer: Each month, members receive a ledger of all the district’s disbursements. Each BOE member sits, on a rotating basis, on the Finance Committee, which meets monthly to review these disbursements in greater detail. The Finance Committee is chaired by the VP of the Board. The business office is audited annually. For the last two years the business office received spotless audits from an external auditor; these are known as unqualified opinions. Copies of these audits are available for review at the district office.

Another audit is conducted each year depending upon the desired area of focus and the amount of time since the last audit of that business function.
-answered by Ed Szumowski, Board of Education Vice President

Board of Education training

Question: It is my understanding that BOE members are now required to complete specific instructional courses so they have a thorough understanding of their jobs and responsibilities. Could we please be told how many BOE members have 100 percent completed this required training?

Answer: In New York state, BOE members are required, within their first year of service on the Board, to complete financial training. All but one of the current members completed this training.

You may be pleased to know that members have also attended conferences having to do with board member improvement in the areas of law, employee relations, technology in the classroom, employee performance reviews and their implications, and several others.
-answered by Ed Szumowski, Board of Education Vice President

Employee salary questions

Question: What percentages of salary increases do employees typically receive each year and who determines the raise amounts? Are salary increases determined by the administration, BOE or are there state mandates? In a time where so many taxpayers are being asked to forego raises and tighten their budgets, I agree that staff salary freezes are a legitimate request from the community, especially since staff salaries are a matter of public record and many are much higher than the average taxpayer salary.


Answer: The Board of Education negotiates contracts with the district’s four collective bargaining units. None of the salaries are negotiated year to year. Rather, contracts typically cover an average of three years.

There is a state law, called the Triborough Amendment, which guarantees teachers receive at least a “step” in their pay if they are working without a contract. This law does not apply to the other unions in the district.

Since Mr. Tomlinson was hired in January 2008, he has taken a pay freeze during the 2008-09 and 2010-11 school years. The district Business Administrator Marco Zumbolo also took a pay freeze during the 2008-09 school year.
-answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

Second public comment session at board meetings

Question: How is a parent/taxpayer/citizen to ask questions and/or make comments to the Board when the only part of the agenda that allows for public comments occurs prior to the Board actually discussing any issues?

Answer: You're correct - a second public comment session at the end of the regular board meeting would be helpful. From now on, we'll include a public comment session before the regular meeting and at the end of the regular meeting, before the board goes into executive session.
- answered by Georgia Baldwin, District Clerk

Meet the Board of Education candidates

Question: Will there be a public forum to meet the candidates for the BOE prior to the election? It would be nice to hear about their opinions prior to the vote.

Answer: Yes. At the beginning of the public budget forum on Monday, May 10, each of the five candidates for the Board of Education will be given an opportunity to speak and present their positions. After all five candidates have had a chance to speak, members of the audience will be invited to ask questions of individual candidates, or of all five candidates. The forum begins at 7 p.m., in the high school auditorium.
- answered by Michele Kelley, District Communications Specialist

"Community" meeting

Question: There was recently a "community" meeting that was held with board members, staff and residents. However it was not publicized, there were no phone calls from the school and students did not come home with flyers. Some were told it was only those with Facebook who were told about the meeting. How come most people in the district did not find out about this until after it happened? If the school board is going to have a meeting about our children's education but only invite their Facebook friends, why call it a "community meeting?" Why is there no information to be found on the school's website about what went on?

Answer: The meeting in question was not organized by the school district or any member of the Board of Education. It was exactly as you said -- a community meeting organized by members of the community and hosted by residents. The school district did not publicize the meeting because it was not a district meeting. When word of the meeting reached the Board of Education, they asked the organizers if some members could attend; however, New York State's open meeting laws prohibited the board from sending more than three representatives to the meeting.
- answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

"Meet the Candidates" night?

Question: Will there be a "Meet the Candidates" night for the three open board seats?

Answer: As in past years, candidates for the Board of Education will have an opportunity to address residents at Broadalbin-Perth's public budget hearing. This year, the public budget hearing will be held at 7 p.m., Monday, May 10, in the high school auditorium.

Information about this year's board candidates will also be published in the budget edition of the district newsletter and posted on the district Web site, http://www.bpcsd.org/.
- answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

Looking for Board of Education meeting minutes

Question: How often do you update the Board Meeting Minutes? I have checked several times over the past few months and the most recent minutes are still from September. I believe 5 or 6 meetings have taken place and would be interested in reading the updates over that time period.

Answer: We always post the minutes of our Board of Education meetings ONLY after they have been approved by the BOE at its next meeting. For example, the board approved the November meeting minutes at its last meeting on Monday, Dec. 21. They were posted on the district Web site the next day (view all BOE meeting minutes here). We cannot post any meeting minutes until they are formally approved by the board.
- answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

Click here to read the post on this topic from September.

Board of Education Meeting Minutes

Question: When will the board of education minutes be posted on the Web site? The last posting was from the June 2009 meeting.

Answer: Minutes from board of education meetings are only posted to the district Web site after they have been approved by the board. For instance, at the most recent board meeting on Monday, Sept. 21, the board of education approved the minutes from their Aug. 17, Aug. 24 and Sept. 2 meetings. Once meeting minutes are approved by the board, they are sent by the district clerk to Broadalbin-Perth's Webmaster, who is responsible for posting them to the district Web site.
- answered by Georgia Baldwin, District Clerk