ELDRED, NY — Many school personnel and a smattering of the public were on hand to hear discussion on a variety of topics at the Eldred School Board meeting on October 11.

Laurie Stern and Hannah Jennings gave presentations. Stern gave an overview of the New Vision program, geared toward high-achieving students interested in a career in the health profession. She reported that four of the 14 students participating in the program from Sullivan County are from Eldred.

Jennings, the student government president, reported on a number of happenings including an assembly for juniors and seniors on the dangers of distracted driving. District Attorney James Farrell and Eldred’s Cherish Galvin-Bliefernich, formerly an elementary teacher in the district, led the assembly. Bliefernich and her children survived a horrific motor vehicle accident caused by a drunk driver on Glen Spey’s County Rte. 31.

Thanks were extended to the Lumberland, Highland Lake and Yulan fire departments and American Legion Ambulance service for participating in fire-prevention-week activities held at the elementary school.

District Treasurer Caleb Russell reported on the most recent tax bill snafu, saying that among other issues, the Town of Highland’s updated tax assessment records were not properly uploaded by the vendor that prints and distributes the bills. As explained in a letter that accompanied the most recent re-mailing, there is a provision for returning any overages in billing. Russell said that the error resulted in a difference of $3,000 between collections due and received.

The cafeteria program has been selected for a routine state audit. Russell noted that there is a very low participation rate of lunch purchases. The need to increase participation and correct the $60,000 imbalance in cafeteria funds was discussed. Asked whether it was practical to revisit whether two cafeterias should be maintained for the two school buildings in the district, Russell said that additional cuts to the three full-time and two part-time staff would not result in substantial savings.  

The board unanimously passed a motion to authorize the use of funds for a demographic study for the next five years of enrollment. This information will be used to develop a strategic plan. Western Suffolk BOCES will be contacted to perform the study at an expected cost of about $6,000. Compared to the prior school year, enrollment has dropped about three students per grade on average in the junior-senior high school, from 309 last year to 292 this year.

The New York State Comptroller’s draft audit report was received, and the administration is in agreement with all recommendations. The final report, which is expected by the end of October, and the district’s response will be made public. Board members Amador Laput and Stacy Kuhn and district resident Paul Clark make up the district’s audit committee.

The board heard about the need for a generator at the high school. The cost of such equipment was anticipated to be “a couple hundred grand.” There have been two power interruptions in the last year.

During the public comment segment of the meeting, a resident expressed concern that the option of funding the purchase of a generator through floating a bond was mentioned as a possibility, and that at last month’s meeting there was much talk of “busting the tax cap.” She was told that much discussion needs to occur among the board in consultation with the district treasurer before any options would be presented to the public.