Votes at a glance: Cornwall-Lebanon School Board approves construction change orders, budget transfers, personnel moves and two student expulsions

The Cornwall-Lebanon School District Board of School Directors unanimously approved a series of construction change orders, contracts and budget actions at its Oct. 20 meeting and voted to expel two high-school students for violations of the district’s controlled-substance policy.

By 7-0 votes, the board approved multiple building- and grounds-related change orders for ongoing projects, ratified a contract for Cornwall Elementary School traffic-pattern paving, and authorized payments from the Cedar Crest Camp and Renovation Fund and the capital reserve fund. The board also approved a $500,000 transfer from the general fund to the capital reserve fund and several personnel and policy items.

Key votes (all recorded as approved 7-0 unless noted):

- Construction and change orders: The board approved change orders tied to the Falcon Connector Building Project, Cedar Crest High School renovation, Earl Bald Stadium facility improvements and related site and plumbing/electrical contractors (contractors named in the meeting record include ECI Construction, Vision Mechanical, Lobar Incorporated, Aaron Eagle Excavating, NCI Construction and McCarty & Son). No dollar amounts for each change order were read into the record at the meeting.

- Contract ratification: The board ratified a contract with Martin Paving Incorporated for the Cornwall Elementary School traffic pattern paving project for $92,365, funded from the capital reserve fund.

- Fund payments and transfers: The board approved payment of Cedar Crest Camp and Renovation Fund bills totaling $5,609,061.86 and capital reserve fund bills of $24,995.20. It also approved a transfer of $500,000 from the general fund to the capital reserve fund.

- Personnel and employment actions: The board approved lists of separations from employment, leaves, ratifications of employment-status changes, and the hiring of staff pending pre-employment clearances. The board also approved volunteer and coach appointments and ratified the employment of drivers employed by BrightBill Transportation.

- Superintendent contract: The board approved a five-year contract for Superintendent Dr. Stephen Dimencic covering July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031.

- Finance and funds: The board approved the health-care fund operating statement for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, and approved credit reimbursements totaling $20,269.62.

- Food service: The board approved food service fund bills totaling $904,391.81.

- Field use and trips: The board approved district facility uses for youth sports and school performances and approved a list of overnight student field trips and competitions (destinations and dates were read into the record).

- Policies: The board gave final adoption to several policies that had been on the table and placed other revised policies on the table for review through the Nov. 17 meeting.

- Student discipline: The board accepted findings that two Cedar Crest High School students (IDs recorded in the meeting as 252601 and 252602) violated controlled-substance Policy 227 and approved recommendations to expel each student for up to one calendar year, while allowing the superintendent discretion to modify consequences. The board also authorized the solicitor and administration to prepare written adjudications for each student and provide information about appeal rights and continuing education.

All individual motions were moved and seconded during the meeting and carried on voice votes recorded as 7 to 0. The board did not record individual roll-call votes in the public meeting transcript provided.

Why it matters: The actions approve major renovation and paving work, commit hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars in payments and transfers, set personnel and administrative arrangements for the coming year and impose long-term disciplinary sanctions for two students.