[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6083728,"mediaKeyId","2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef","parentId",2927916,"title","Connetquot community split over 'Thunderbirds' as board weighs legal options and missed tribal deadline","audioSeconds",1721,"startMs",3084000,"endMs",4805000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef&start=3084&end=4805","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef/thumbnail_3084000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083728/New-York/Connetquot-community-split-over-Thunderbirds-as-board-weighs-legal-options-and-missed-tribal-deadline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083728-456e495a5e7cbdf29e46c151bd0faf95/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147115&Signature=R1wWoxcqnXDaexUqn9FxKaXB3LY1UKU~T7u8GoC5P7w~jjg30L4VyBoLmDAWKqRheSuY2kltnuNDT1yvwDh81pVsCTH0Jhnci4HZZSk39c0s5Uve4aYHqJrfUur7i05i4uO5JkR6G09sE4gbKOs3qe4vh4unTlgp12a73MaQpT53IP5XUmZxw3VtGHVRfAshQp1jiWw6ApAoonfxVHNCSxAnD~TluzAV7n~MWaiqWgf5iGsv5duOAjsOIA~OEYqAByIb0CnKIQkz9liEHOPy4O5qKlv1AnPXIuE4TnkXslb35S05mgB64O-UjgdXXs3olV82ckv9uOxIU3QyXmMKKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-09T02:26:56Z","article","A prolonged public-comment period at the Connetquot Central School District board meeting on April 8 focused on the district’s Thunderbird mascot, the state’s guidance on Indigenous names and tribal agreements, and whether the district should continue litigation to keep the name.

Multiple community members — including veterans, alumni and parents — urged the board to fight to keep the Thunderbird identity. Joseph Barber, who identified himself as a 1989 graduate and lifelong resident, told the board, “I don’t understand why we should be changing Thunderbirds,” and asked trustees to state their positions publicly. Other speakers recounted family histories linking the mascot to military veterans and local origins rather than to Indigenous caricature.

Opposing perspectives were also voiced: supporters of changing or reassessing the mascot cited NYSED guidance and a judge’s ruling referenced in public remarks indicating the district could lose state aid if it did not comply. Board members and administration confirmed the district missed a May 2023 deadline to obtain a written agreement with a tribal nation that would have allowed continued use of an Indigenous-derived name without penalty; the transcript records the board saying it did not make the tribal contact in time.

Legal and budget figures

Board members reported that to date the district has allocated $50,000 in its budget line for this issue: $23,425 has been spent and $26,575 remained allocated for the legal effort at the time of the meeting. A board response to a public question estimated the full cost to replace all mascot-related items in the district — uniforms, signage and other materials — at about $340,000 if the district were required to remove and replace imagery and branding.

Board posture and next steps

Trustees said the district is participating in consolidated litigation with three other districts and is being represented by outside counsel (transcript references Sokoloff & Stern and a separate firm noted as Sokoloff and Stern as lead counsel). Multiple trustees told the public they prefer to explore community input and to verify options before committing to extended, costly litigation, and several asked for a controlled community survey or a ballot measure to obtain broader public feedback.

Public engagement

Several speakers asked whether the district had documented the mascot’s origin and urged the board to compile yearbooks, veteran testimony and archival records for the court record. Others urged the board to continue legal action, saying the allocated legal funds represented a proper defense of community tradition. The board told the public it would continue consulting counsel and coordinating with the other districts involved in the lawsuit while seeking clearer community guidance.

No formal board action on the mascot occurred at the meeting; the transcript records public comment and board discussion but no resolution to change or retain the mascot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education - Public Session - 4/8/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public comment at Connetquot’s April 8 board meeting centered on the Thunderbird mascot, tribal-agreement deadlines and whether the district should continue paying legal counsel to defend the name in light of NYSED guidance and a judge’s warning about state-aid risk.","taxTitle","CONNETQUOT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",67169,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6083732,"Connetquot presents $228.8 million draft budget; shortfall hinges on delayed state aid",1766,752000,2518000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef&start=752&end=2518","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef/thumbnail_752000.jpg","/articles/6083732/New-York/Connetquot-presents-2288-million-draft-budget-shortfall-hinges-on-delayed-state-aid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083732-03b7d37c8172250312b97e00e23c57de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147115&Signature=Rvh5bj4Lbn1kmYHjbNvxO42cFV3Eql-DaIL0Ehy15PstRRTyiJz5xouLlsGZMPLroz6-dvJcOVPpa3Z608KyWsSIvRphICjhECNzD2UKv6vhlmWoV-uRL7idWCbp~Yy5P3eTytRxRxGcAHyw9Ue-AYj5ijLnmDw8xamZ3qsJw8Dnr9HgVnwUf~9F8ik9OTp~r5BQv5c4PxRXOJd7~Yw0ZplCrGHKqLVIyG44v8Zn-GVwvyUxoIQGLmE5h~JyTm7gpMbfEKaCftazlRJShFOJKeDU7rTN56bcgPkTmhcOL0c2djViEnukO1yfyyM90Fj7EK1Qhh403l8SU1SGwt3TbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Connetquot Central School District presented a third draft of its 2025–26 general fund budget at the board’s April 8 meeting, with proposed expenditures of $228,779,052 and a 2.79% increase in spending over the current year. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Robert Hauser led the presentation and told the board the district is waiting for a final state aid number that will determine whether the budget can be adopted without additional cuts or reserve draws.

Hauser said, “the proposed budget of 228,779,052 represents a 2.79 increase in expenditures,” and explained the board is scheduled to adopt a tentative budget in April and hold a hearing in May, with the final budget vote and school board election set for May 20.

The district reported a current shortfall of about $354,310 in the general fund draft. Hauser and presenters explained that the shortfall is narrowly tied to the state’s foundation-aid calculation: a 1% increase in foundation aid would be roughly $360,000 and would nearly close the gap. The district does not yet have a final state budget or state-aid notification; presenters said the legislature’s timing is uncertain and could remain unsettled through upcoming legislative breaks.

Why this matters

The draft relies on a mix of projected revenues and reserves and assumes a tax levy increase at the statutory cap. Hauser showed the estimated assessed valuation the district used — $689,114,934, the town’s October figure — and cautioned that the actual assessment roll will change this fall; reductions in assessed valuation would raise the tax rate needed to raise the same levy. As an example, Hauser’s materials showed that on a property with a $10,000 assessed value the school portion of the tax bill would be $2,114 under the proposed levy, an increase of $28.06 in that scenario if assessed values remain unchanged.

Universal Pre-K and program costs

The presentation included a detailed discussion of Universal Pre-K (UPK). The district currently operates 11 UPK sections and proposed adding two sections (to 13 total) to increase capacity from 190 to 226 students. Hauser presented the program cost math used in the draft: state UPK funding permits the district to receive up to $5,400 per UPK student; at 226 students that state aid amount would total $1,220,400. The total estimated cost to operate 13 sections was presented as $1,357,000, leaving a district responsibility of $136,800 under the program as proposed.

Administrators noted additional one-time and recurring costs that the state grant does not cover — classroom furniture and supplies for new sections, and some district-level program costs carried outside the grant. The district intends to balance those costs through existing program reserves, fund balance or, if required, a line-by-line review of expenditure codes to find savings.

Summer enrichment (BOCES)

The board heard a separate slide on the BOCES-operated summer enrichment program. According to the presentation, BOCES charges $250,000 to run the program; the district estimates parent tuition of roughly $65,000 and receives about 57.3% state aid on the program in the subsequent year. The net projected cost reported to the board was about $41,750, based on an estimate of 100 students. Board members and public speakers questioned whether the per-student cost justified the relatively small enrollment.

Board action and next steps

During the meeting the board approved routine minutes and later voted to approve a bundle of financial and personnel consent items (financial items 2–7, personnel items as listed, and consent agenda items 2–16). The motions were made and seconded and recorded as carried; the transcript does not record individual roll-call vote tallies in the public audio excerpt.

The budget team told the board they will post detailed budget pages on the district website and return with updates once the State finalizes foundation-aid numbers. Administrators also said they will track potential cuts and reserve use if state aid does not materialize as hoped.","Connetquot Central School District presented a third draft of its 2025–26 general fund budget at the April 8 board meeting, proposing $228,779,052 in expenditures — a 2.79% increase — while flagging a roughly $354,310 shortfall that depends on pending New York State foundation-aid decisions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6083723,"Board begins RFP process for armed-guard contract; trustees stress safety and due diligence",245,8937000,9182000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef&start=8937&end=9182","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2927916-1222273b1c9c2722d2cb70ac2ea983ef/thumbnail_8937000.jpg","/articles/6083723/New-York/Board-begins-RFP-process-for-armed-guard-contract-trustees-stress-safety-and-due-diligence","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083723-038335bba108a6898925a634cf36730b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147115&Signature=MnzMXKuywt5OCQCFaOPJ1u4Us-AptHvn5ZhpWzyUXIs5ku3qeJBXqEMUHK4pe0YiL6OTd50wOiotogP-aS1wXtR5n0cSVcrvsW4tS2hL8zEAsxvw0sLDF3OlgC70-JfxYy7LxZswhl-5WhRf-EKQbcwLz7xSwmHTB~-zjsx4t6aPsrd5r2O0XTUVfWZkV7bdkg8C5D4SWqbegtGl7OdQPJ22rAU-aq5WVqmPlcr3gClftm-ZpO4JqIX9syTqO4UNMQcvGANminSem~EpoUW478q97ALlf19EX~tPHtdFRCjk6MNZ40awZdE24U0-Vbf1jP8Mt-zFt6IWd9nLM-Q5Ng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Connetquot board discussed security services at the April 8 meeting after the district opened the competitive-bid process required by policy. Trustees explained the district’s practice to issue a request for proposals (RFP) when a professional-services contract is up: the RFP process is intended to evaluate price and service differences and to select what the board considers the best option for student safety and fiscal stewardship.

Trustees and multiple public speakers stressed that student and staff safety is the district’s top priority. Several trustees described the incumbent security firm’s training and local knowledge as a district asset; other trustees said policy requires the district to complete the RFP process and compare proposals, noting that preliminary bids showed material price differences (one trustee cited roughly $132,000 between proposals in the initial packet).

Board members said they will review proposals, vet candidate firms and report back to the public. Administration noted that all security personnel currently employed at school sites are active or retired law-enforcement officers and that the procurement process is intended to balance service quality, local familiarity and price.

No contract award or vote occurred at the meeting; the board described the step as part of the regular procurement process required by board policy and said it would return with a recommendation after vetting vendor proposals.","Trustees said district policy required issuing an RFP for armed-guard services this year. Some board members urged caution about changing the incumbent security provider, while others stressed the need to evaluate bids because price differences exceeded six figures.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Connetquot community split over 'Thunderbirds' as board weighs legal options and missed tribal deadline

Connetquot presents $228.8 million draft budget; shortfall hinges on delayed state aid

Board begins RFP process for armed-guard contract; trustees stress safety and due diligence