Brentwood board accepts petition to add two seats to board, rejects separate petition curbing mascot/logo spending

The Brentwood Board of Education on March 20 voted to accept a petition that would put a question on the May 20 ballot asking voters whether to increase the board’s size from seven to nine members, and separately voted to reject a petition that would have restricted district spending for team names, logos or mascots.

The board accepted the petition to increase membership by motion and recorded a 7–0 vote in favor, triggering the process that — if voters approve the change on May 20 — would require a special election within the time set by law to fill the two additional seats. The board earlier voted to reject the petition that would have limited district spending on team names and logos, after counsel said that proposal conflicted with the board’s statutory authority to prepare the budget.

Why it matters: If voters on May 20 approve expanding the board, the district will hold a special election to elect the two additional trustees. Board members and counsel told the meeting that the special election would be an added cost to the district (the district’s estimate given during the meeting was roughly $18,000 for a special election) and that state education law assigns the board responsibility for developing the district budget.

Legal and procedural explanation: The board’s legal adviser explained that Section 17‑16 of the New York State Education Law (cited at the meeting) and related provisions vest budget-development authority in the elected board, and therefore a petition that would constrain how the board allocates budget money to district…