Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves consent agenda and extends volunteer firefighter/ambulance tax-exemption to neighboring-service volunteers
Summary
The Marlboro Central School District Board approved routine contracts, personnel recommendations and the student calendar, and passed a resolution extending a property-tax exemption to qualified volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers who serve neighboring jurisdictions under Real Property Tax Law provisions.
The Board of Education approved a consent package of routine business items and passed a resolution extending a property-tax exemption to volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance personnel who live in the district but volunteer for neighboring municipalities.
What the board approved: In a single consent roll-call vote, the board approved contracts, personnel recommendations, the official minutes from the March 6, 2025 meeting, a budget transfer, contracts for STAC and Medicaid services, financial reports for December 2024, the proposed student calendar for the 2025–26 school year, and committee reports from CSE and CPSE. The board president called the roll and recorded affirmative votes from board members present. (Roll-call names as recorded in the meeting: Mister Kuha — yes; Miss Penninger — yes; James (surname not specified in transcript) — yes; Joanne (surname not specified) — yes; Tony — yes; Board President — yes.)
Extension of volunteer exemption: The board also voted to extend the property-tax exemptions previously authorized on Feb. 16, 2023 under New York Real Property Tax Law to qualified volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers who provide services to a neighboring city, village, town, county or school district, citing Real Property Tax Law §466‑a and §466‑i as the enabling provisions. The resolution passed on a roll-call vote (affirmative votes recorded from those present: Mister Kuha; Miss Benninger/Penninger; Mister Mullen; Miss Reid; Miss Shusinski; Board President). The board noted that the exemption, if enacted, would not change the overall tax levy but would shift the distribution of costs among taxing entities; staff said applications must be filed by March 1 for the exemption to apply to the following year’s tax roll.
Why it matters: Extending this exemption allows district residents who volunteer for emergency services in neighboring jurisdictions to qualify for the local exemption provided they meet statutory service and residency requirements. The board emphasized there is no immediate tax-levy increase recorded because the levy remains unchanged; instead, staff said the shift reallocates collection responsibility among taxing entities.
Formal vote details (as recorded): - Consent agenda (contracts, personnel, minutes, budget transfer, STAC/Medicaid contracts, Dec. 2024 financials, 2025–26 student calendar, CSE/CPSE reports) — Motion made (caller requested motion from “Mister Kuha”); roll call: Mister Kuha — yes; Miss Penninger — yes; James — yes; Joanne — yes; Tony — yes; Board President — yes. Outcome: approved. - Resolution to extend volunteer firefighter/ambulance tax exemption per Real Property Tax Law §466‑a and §466‑i — Motion: moved by Joanne; second: Trish (per meeting exchange). Roll call: Mister Kuha — yes; Miss Benninger — yes; Mister Mullen — yes; Miss Reid — yes; Miss Shusinski — yes; Board President — yes. Outcome: approved.
No other action was taken in open session on personnel beyond the consent approvals. The board went into an executive session afterward for a personnel matter; the transcript records no subsequent open-session action.
