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July 1, 2020 Board of Education Reorganizational Meeting Minutes

BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Hamilton-Fulton & Montgomery Counties
Johnstown, NY  12095

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DATE

July 1, 2020

PLACE

Central Administration Office, Board Room and virtually via Webex by calling 1-646-992-2010 access code: 129 629 3922

KIND OF MEETING

Reorganization Meeting

MEMBERS PRESENT

James Beirlein, Harry Brooks, Carmen Caraco, John DeValve, Jean LaPorta, Gustavo Sacerio and Allan Turnbull

OTHERS PRESENT

David Ziskin, District Superintendent; Lorraine Hohenforst, Deputy Superintendent; Kathi Lewis, School Business Manager; Craig Clark, Communications Specialist;  Ashley Onyon, Reporter with the Leader Herald and Christine Eaton, Clerk

CALL TO ORDER

The reorganization meeting of HFM BOCES was called to order by Board Clerk at 5:00 p.m.

TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON

Allan Turnbull made a motion, seconded by Jean LaPorta to appoint the Board Clerk as the temporary chairperson of the reorganizational meeting. This motion carried unanimously.

OATH OF OFFICE

At this time the Clerk administered the oath of office to reelected Board Members Jean LaPorta and John DeValve.

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTION OF PRESIDENT

The Board Clerk then asked for nominations for the office of President. John DeValve made a motion, seconded by Jean LaPorta, to nominate Harry Brooks to the office of President for the 2020-2021 school year.  James Beirlein then made a motion, seconded by Allan Turnbull, to close the polls, temporarily suspend the rules and instruct the Clerk to cast one vote for Harry Brooks to the office of President. This motion was unanimously carried.

PRESIDENT ASSUMES LEADERSHIP

At this time, President Brooks assumed leadership of the meeting.

President Brooksthen requested nominations for the office of Vice President.

NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF VICE PRESIDENT

James Beirlein made a motion, seconded by John DeValve, to nominate Jean LaPorta to the office of Vice President for the 2020-2021 school year. John DeValve then made a motion, seconded by James Beirlein to close the polls, temporarily suspend the rules and instruct the Clerk to cast one vote for Jean LaPorta to the office of Vice President.  This motion carried unanimously.

OATH OF OFFICE

Dr. Brooks was then administered the oath of office of Board President.

OATH OF OFFICE

Mrs. LaPorta was administered the oath of office of Vice President.

REORGANIZATION APPOINTMENTS

Upon the District Superintendent’s recommendation the following appointments for the 2020-2021 school year were presented for Board approval:

Clerk of the Board, Christine Eaton

Treasurer, Jennifer Clear

Claims Auditor  ($20 per hour). Heather Mello

Deputy Internal Claims Auditor ($20 per hour), TBD

Extracurricular Accounts Treasurer, Jayette Miller

Asst. Treas. of Extracurricular Accts., Treasurer of the Board

Extra Class Faculty Auditor, Treasurer of the Board

Extra Class Faculty Counselor, Michael Jacob (Special Ed), Michael DiMezza (CTE), Matthew Davis (PTECH), Christine Carioto (ADK)

Extra Class Faculty Advisors (List appended to minutes)

Verifier of Purchase Orders, Tiffannie Brown, Lisa Royal

Purchasing Officer, Stephanie Dineen

Deputy Purchasing Officer, School Business Manager

Official Newspapers, The Leader Herald, The Recorder, The Gazette

Official Radio Stations, WENT, Gloversville, WCSS, Amsterdam

School Physician, Paul G. Comber, MD, PhD, St. Mary’s Healthcare

Attorneys, Girvin and Ferlazzo, P.C.

Auditors, West & Company CPAs, P.C.

Internal Auditors, Questar III BOCES

AHERA/SASS Designee and District Safety Officer, Jessica Kirby-Barnes

Data Protection Officer, Deputy Superintendent

Information Officer, Deputy Superintendent

Records Management Officer, Deputy Superintendent

Records Access Officer, Deputy Superintendent

Official Bank, NBT Bank

General Insurance, NYSIR – Mang Agency

Workers Compensation Insurance, NYSIF – Robert J. Hoy Agency, Inc.

Health Insurance, Empire BlueCross

Dental Insurance, Delta Dental

Compliance Officers, Human Resources Manager, Deputy Superintendent

School Library System Council, (List appended to minutes)

Board Audit Committee, Committee of the Whole

NYSSBA Voting Delegate, TBD

NYSSBA Voting Alternate, TBD

NYSSBA Legislative Liaison, TBD

Tobacco Free School Policy Liaison, Jessica Kirby-Barnes

Dignity Act Coordinators, (List appended to minutes)

Homeless Liaison/Migrant Education, School Business Manager Coordinator

Financial Advisor, Karen Moon, Vice President of Bernard Donegan Inc.

HFM BOCES Bond Counsel, M. Corneilia Cahill, Esq. of Hiscock & Barclay LLP

APPROVAL OF  APPOINTMENTS

Jean LaPorta made a  motion, seconded by John DeValve, to approve the 2020-2021 reorganization appointments as presented, making note that positions left in the to be determined status will be approved by the Board as they are filled. This motion carried unanimously.

REORGANIZATIONAL RESOLUTIONS

Upon the District Superintendent’s recommendation the following resolutions for the 2020-2021 school year were presented to the Board for approval:

Authorize the Deputy Superintendent to certify all payrolls

Authorize the District Superintendent to sign and file all applications and certifications for federal and state funds

Authorize the Deputy Superintendent to assume the duties of the District Superintendent in the District Superintendent’s absence

Authorize the District Superintendent to employ non-instructional and instructional substitutes, adult education staff, and temporary employees

Authorize District Superintendent and Treasurer to borrow up to $500,000.00 in anticipation of revenues

Authorize School Business Manager, to transfer budgetary appropriations up to $10,000

Authorize the capitalizing threshold at $5,000

Authorize Treasurer, with approval of District Superintendent, to invest funds within legal limitations

Authorize the transfer of up to $2,000,000.00 (two million dollars) from funds with available balances to the General Fund to cover cash flow needs, with repayment to be made within one year, as permitted when borrowing between funds.  In discussion with our local auditors, it is recommended that in order to avoid legal costs and interest associated with the issuance of RANs, BOCES use the internal transfer option to cover cash flow needs

Authorize the Treasurer of the BOCES to use an electronic check signature to authenticate checks issued on the BOCES accounts and to process transfers as required. Authorize the School Business Manager to use an electronic check signature to authenticate payroll checks in the absence of the Treasurer. Authorize the School Business Manager to use an electronic check signature to authenticate accounts payable checks in the absence of the Treasurer. Authorize the School Business Manager to process transfers in the absence of the Treasurer

Authorize the following employees with single signature authority: Treasurer and School Business Manager

Authorize the District Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and School Business Manager, or their designee to approve staff mileage, conference attendance, and payment/reimbursement within budgetary appropriations

Authorize director-principals and principals to suspend students for up to five days

Authorize BOCES to participate in cooperative bidding of supplies, services, equipment, and janitorial products with public school districts and municipalities of Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton Counties as well as DCMO BOCES

Re-adopt the Audit Committee Charter, effective July 1, 2020

Re-Adopt the Board Policy Manual, all sections and policies therein, effective July 1, 2020

Re-Adopt the Constitutionally Protected Prayer in the Schools Certification

Adopt the last Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. as BOCES board meeting date and time, except as otherwise indicated on the annual board meeting dates calendar

Adopt the HFM BOCES mileage chart effective July 1, 2020, and authorize the School Business Manager to amend the chart as required during the course of the school year

Authorize the Board President and/or District Superintendent to sign contracts on behalf of the Board of Education

Confirm HFM credit card limits as follows:

District Superintendent – $25,000
Deputy Superintendent and School Business Manager – $36,400 (combined)

Establish three separate petty cash funds as follows:

Business Office   (Jennifer Clear) $50
Career & Technical Education (Lorrie Hanifan) $50
Special Education (Holly Anker) $50

Authorize two school lunch point of sale drawer change accounts as follows:

HFM BOCES Main Campus – Tracey Buley – $100 Glebe Street – Margaret Ugalde – $50

Establish the following substitute staff pay rates for the school year 2020-2021:

Long-Term Substitute Teachers – Certified $125.00 per diem
Long-Term Substitute Teachers – Uncertified $105.00 per diem
Certified Substitute Teachers $95.00 per diem
Uncertified Substitute Teachers $85.00 per diem
Substitute School Nurses (RN) $95.00 per diem
Substitute School Nurses (LPN) $85.00 per diem
Substitute Clinical Nurses (RN) $160.00 per diem
Substitute Clinical Nurses (LPN) $150.00 per diem
Long-Term Substitute Teacher Aides $85.00 per day
Substitute Teacher Aides $11.80 per hourSubstitute Teacher Aides required to travel from the student’s home $11.80 per hour
Substitute Interpreters $13.57 per hour
Substitute Typist $12.98 per hour
Substitute Couriers $12.63 per hour
Substitute Custodial Worker $11.92 per hour
Substitute Food Service Director I $151.67 per day
Substitute Food Service Helper $11.92 per hour
Substitute School Monitor $11.80 per hour
Substitute School Bus Attendants $12.03 per hour
Substitute School Bus Driver $17.00 per hour
Retired Substitute School Bus Driver $20.00 per hour
Substitute Automotive Mechanic Helper $18.00 per hour
Long-term Regional Summer School/Enrichment Certified Substitute Teachers $16.15 per hour
Regional Summer School/Enrichment Certified Substitute Teachers $14.62 per hour
Regional Summer/Enrichment School Uncertified Substitute Teachers $13.08 per hour
Regional Summer School/Enrichment Substitute Nurse (RN) $14.62 per hour
Regional Summer School/Enrichment Substitute Typist $12.98 per hour
Regional Summer School/Enrichment Substitute School Monitors $11.80 per hour

Authorize board member and administrative attendance at approved conferences and meetings including the authority to expend funds associated with these activities

Authorize membership in Mohawk-Sacandaga School Boards Association, Capital Area School Development Association, New York State School Boards Association, Rural Schools Association, Fulton-Montgomery County Regional Chamber of Commerce, American Association of Educational Service Agencies, Statewide BOCES P/R – Erie I, BOCES the Energy Pricing Consortium, BOCES Education Consortium and the Fulton County CGR

Authorize the District Superintendent and School Business Manager to approve business related travel reimbursement at the latest available published IRS rate

Authorize bonding of all HFM BOCES employees up to $100,000 plus an additional $900,000 coverage per loss

Establish April 14, 2021, as the date for the next BOCES Annual Meeting

Establish April 28, 2021, as the date on which each component school board shall conduct a public meeting for the purpose of voting on the BOCES administrative budget and candidates to fill vacancies on the BOCES Board of Education, pursuant to Section 1950 of Education Law

Establish the following Adult Services Tuitions for school year 2020-2021:

Career/Technical Program (½ day) $2,945.00
Career/Technical Program (full day) 5,000.00

Establish the following ancillary pay rates for school year 2020-2021:

Retiree Scorers $100/per diem
Regional Scoring Assistants 15/hour
Lifeguard 11.80/hour
Adult Educators 25/hour
Bus Driver Trainers 25/hour
Curriculum Writing 25/hour
Summer Professional Development Participants 25/hour
Regional Summer School Teacher 30/hour
Regional Summer School Teaching Assistant 15/hour
TASC/HSE Coordinator 25.00/hour
TASC/HSE Examiner 20.00/hour
TASC/HSE Proctor 13.52/hour
Regional Enrichment Summer Program Teacher 30/hour
Regional Enrichment Summer Program Teacher Assistant 15/hour

Reaffirm that the Hamilton-Fulton & Montgomery BOCES is a non-discriminatory employer

Reaffirm that alternative communications will be used to assist the handicapped

Reaffirm that BOCES meetings will be held in locations most accessible to the handicapped

Reaffirm BOCES commitment to comply with The Freedom of Information Act and The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Reaffirm BOCES commitment to comply with the Open Meeting Law

Reaffirm BOCES commitment to comply with Title IX

Reaffirm BOCES commitment to comply with the American Disabilities Act (ADA)

Reaffirm BOCES commitment to comply with the Annual School Integrated Pest Management notification requirements

Reaffirm charge for transcripts for adult students $5.00 per transcript

Reaffirm a photocopy fee of $0.25 per face sheet

Reaffirm that secretarial fees associated with the retrieval of information shall be at the actual pay rates for the person(s) performing the retrieval tasks

APPROVAL OF REORGANIZATION RESOLUTIONS

A motion was made by Jean LaPorta and seconded by John DeValve, to approve the reorganization resolutions for the 2020-2021 school year as presented.  This motion was unanimously carried.

ADJOURNMENT

At 5:11 p.m. a motion was made by Allan Turnbull to adjourn the reorganization meeting and prepare to enter a special board meeting.  This motion was seconded by John DeValve and unanimously carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Christine Eaton
Clerk of the Board

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