Onteora school board disbands Communication Committee

BOICEVILLE, N.Y. » The Onteora school board has done away with the district Communications Committee after finding it had not been able to narrow its mission.

The committee was disbanded during the Board of Education’s annual reorganization meeting Tuesday. Trustee Lindsay Shands said there was never a specific goal identified for committee members to work toward achieving.

“The problem with the Communications Committee is ... you have a million subgroups of communications,” Shands said. “When we met ... everyone was like, ‘What are we doing?’ There was no goal, and there still isn’t a goal, so I’m happy to get rid of it, unless there’s a specific goal in one area, [such as] social media or parent involvement or teacher communications.”

The school board voted 6-1 to disband the committee. Trustee Rob Kurnit was opposed.

Trustee Bennet Ratcliff agreed that the issue of communications is “just way too broad,” but he suggested board members look at ways they could communicate better with each other.

“I think the board should look to decide what they want to communicate additionally or differently or in a way that is boardspecific,” he said.

The committee had consisted of a board member, administrators, teachers, a parent representative and a public relations person who was employed through Ulster County BOCES.

Also during the meeting the board reappointed Trustee Kevin Salem as board president and Trustee Laurie Osmond as vice president.

In other annual matters Tuesday, the school board:

• Appointed Deb D’Sprile as treasurer, Terry Snyder as deputy treasurer, Julie Wright as claims auditor, Cheryl Berryann as tax collector and Monica LaClair as purchasing agent.

• Designated the law firm of Drohan, Thomas, Waxman, Petigrow & Mayle as school attorney and Squire Patton Boggs as bond counsel.

• Designated West and Company as independent auditor.

• Appointed Jane Young as medical director through Aug. 30 and Tanjia Hynes from Sept. 1 through the end of the year.

• Designated the Daily Freeman as the district’s official newspaper.

• Designated Community Bank, NYCLASS, TD Banknorth, NYLAF and Catskill Hudson Bank as the district’s official depositories.

“I think the board should look to decide what they want to communicate additionally or differently or in a way that is board-specific.” — Trustee Bennet Ratcliff