LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Sullivan West Central School District Superintendent Nancy P. Hackett’s remarks were brief and to the point at the October 23 meeting of the school board. Introducing a resolution to extend the due diligence period in the Narrowsburg School sale, Hackett said that powering up the various school building systems shut off years ago to conserve water, power and fuel is a complex and time-consuming process.

The New York State inspection that occurs between assignment of a building sale contract and sale closing requires that all plumbing, electrical and heating/cooling systems be thoroughly inspected for damage and operational deficiencies. With a building as large and multi-functional as Narrowsburg School, that’s no small task. Hackett said that, day by day, systems are being brought online. Following her remarks, the board voted unanimously to extend the due diligence period.

The Narrowsburg School sale also sparked debate when district policy regarding public comment at board meetings was reviewed. Current policy provides for public comment both before and after consideration of agenda items, with three minutes allocated for each speaker. However, because that time limit has not been strictly enforced, the controversy generated by the school sale caused the public comment portions of more than one meeting to be the longest meeting segments.

Some board members favored having only one public comment segment per meeting, but there was no consensus on whether it should occur before or after agenda items. Others thought that both segments should be allowed to continue, providing opportunities for comment on miscellaneous topics prior to the meeting proper and comment on specific agenda items following action regarding them during the meeting. And some thought that the three-minute rule should be strictly enforced. Closing the discussion, Hackett said that the policy committee should take the board’s various suggestions up at its next meeting.

Full text of meeting minutes may be found at www.swcsd.org.