Mineola board approves personnel and policy updates, places $4 million capital-reserve proposition on May ballot

Mineola Board of Education President Margaret Ballentine on March 20 led the board in approving personnel changes, policy updates and a proposition to spend up to $4,000,000 from the district's 2022 capital reserve, the board said during its regular meeting.

The $4 million proposition, which the board voted to put before district voters on May 20, 2025, would fund: (a) replacement of the roof system and skylight of the Mineola Middle School auditorium and related masonry and abatement work; (b) construction of a synthetic-turf baseball field at Mineola Middle School, including dugouts, retaining walls, fencing, lighting, plumbing, spectator seating and landscaping; and (c) concrete/retaining-wall and related repairs for the entryway to the art rooms at Mineola Middle School. The board said the abbreviated ballot language will appear in the district budget newsletter.

Why it matters: The projects target a 1927-era roof with persistent leaks and drainage and concrete failures around the art-room entry, and they would leave funds remaining in the capital reserve, the board said during discussion. Board members said the turf field will mirror the district's softball field and will include seating and safety netting.

Key votes and motions: The board approved a slate of formal resolutions, including: casting nominating votes for three candidates to fill seats on the Nassau County BOCES board of cooperative educational services; approving a memorandum of agreement dated Feb. 25, 2025 with the United Public Service Employees Union (teacher aide unit); waiving first formal readings for multiple revised policies and waiving first readings for several new policies coming from the state; designating Will Herman as the district's health and safety officer and chief emergency officer; authorizing an addendum to a salary and benefits agreement for Steven Argus and then appointing Argus to multiple facilities and compliance roles; approving the district's participation in a cooperative solicitation for pupil transportation services under General Municipal Law —R-119 (as referenced in the meeting); and approving a separation agreement and general release with an employee whose identity is known to the board. All motions on the agenda passed.

Personnel and assignments: The board authorized the president to execute an addendum to the salary and benefits agreement for Steven Argus and then confirmed Argus' assignments as the district's asbestos (AHERA) designee, integrated pest management coordinator and ADA compliance coordinator, replacing Jenny Karkana. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Will Herman, who the board designated as health and safety officer, said he was "very excited to take on" the health-and-safety duties.

Policies and labor agreement: The board waived first readings and approved numerous revised policies including non-discrimination and anti-harassment, evaluation of personnel, graduation requirements, concussion management, and objection-to-instructional-materials procedures. The board also approved new policies the state has issued, among them a policy on artificial intelligence, virtual instruction and advanced coursework. The board approved a memorandum of agreement dated Feb. 25, 2025 with the United Public Service Employees Union, teacher aide unit; the meeting record states the board president is authorized to execute the agreement on behalf of the district.

Transportation cooperative: The board voted to join a cooperative solicitation led by the Nassau BOCES for pupil-transportation services for the 2025-26 school year and any renewal periods, citing General Municipal Law authorization for intermunicipal cooperative procurements. Board members said the cooperative covers occasions when outsourcing transportation is more financially efficient, and clarified the cooperative is for transportation services rather than vehicle purchases.

Other routine business: The board approved a consensus agenda including retirements, and it approved two walk-on personnel appointments: Margaret Hayes as lead replacement social-studies teacher (effective March 21 through June 30, 2025) and Kathleen Kakamot as an instructional leader (on or about April 22, 2025, with a four-year probationary period through April 21, 2029). The board also approved a separation and general release dated March 20, 2025 with an employee whose identity was described as known to the board.

Looking ahead: The capital-reserve proposition will appear on the district ballot on May 20, 2025. If approved by voters, district staff said roofing and field work are weather-dependent; turf installation and related site work are planned to be complete shortly after the April school break if schedules and weather permit.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 45: Nominating votes for up to three candidates to fill Nassau BOCES seats (approved) - Resolution 46: Approve MOA with United Public Service Employees Union, teacher aide unit (approved) - Resolution 47: Waive first formal reading of revised policies (approved) - Resolution 48: Waive first formal reading of new state-driven policies (approved) - Resolution 49: Designate Will Herman as health and safety officer/chief emergency officer (approved) - Resolution 50: Authorize addendum to salary and benefits agreement for Steven Argus (approved) - Resolution 51: Appoint Steven Argus as AHERA designee, IPM coordinator and ADA compliance coordinator (approved) - Resolution 52: Approve participation in cooperative pupil-transportation solicitation (approved) - Resolution 53: Authorize separation agreement and general release dated 03/20/2025 (approved) - Resolution 54: Authorize placing $4,000,000 capital-reserve expenditure proposition on May 20 ballot (approved) - Resolution 55: Approve consensus agenda items J1a through J4f1 (approved) - Resolution 56: Appoint Margaret Hayes as lead replacement social-studies teacher (approved) - Resolution 57: Appoint Kathleen Kakamot as instructional leader (approved)

The board meeting record shows affirmative voice votes for each resolution; the minutes do not list individual roll-call tallies for every item.

Notes: The proposition would draw on the Mineola 2022 Capital Reserve and district staff said approximately $6.4 million remained in the reserve before the proposed expenditure. The board said they will provide photos and diagrams to the community explaining the scope of the roof and entryway repairs in forthcoming materials.