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 operations was not appropriate to place on the ballot. The counsel said the petition to restrict spending on logos was therefore rejected for not complying with applicable provisions of state education law. The petition to increase board membership met the statutory requirements for placement on the ballot and was accepted for that purpose.

Board discussion and public comment: Board members discussed process and timeline: if voters approve expansion on May 20, a special election to fill the seats must be held not less than 30 and not more than 60 days after the May vote, per the counsel’s explanation. Public commenters and several trustees noted that accepting the petition for the ballot does not represent the board’s endorsement of the proposal — it means only that the petition complied with statutory form and deadlines and therefore must be presented to voters.

Votes at a glance (key motions and outcomes recorded in the meeting minutes): - Suspend agenda-format policy (suspend Board Policy 23‑41) to modify meeting order: motion passed (mover: Brandon Garcia; second: Cindy Safferi; outcome: approved; vote: recorded as carried). - Amend the published agenda to swap G‑1a/G‑1b and add items D1O and D1N: motion passed (mover: Julia Burgos; second: Maria Malave; outcome: approved). - Appoint Dennis M. Logan as interim district clerk effective 03/12/2025 (to be sworn by district counsel Candice Gomez, Esq.): motion passed (mover recorded; outcome: approved). - Resolution D1N — rejection of petition proposing budget restriction on mascot/logo spending: motion passed (mover: Brandon Garcia; second recorded; outcome: petition rejected; board statement: motion carries). - Resolution D1O/D10 — acceptance of petition to increase number of board members (place proposition on May 20 ballot): motion passed (mover: Brandon Garcia; second: Julia Burgos; recorded vote: 7 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; outcome: petition accepted and will appear on ballot). - Routine personnel and consent items (appointments, resignations, certificated/noncertificated personnel reports, BTA memorandum of agreement and related personnel actions): motions passed as part of consent agenda (various movers/seconders; outcome: approved). - Creation of purchasing technician position (12‑month full‑time, to be accreted to principals and supervisors organization): motion passed (outcome: approved). - Administrative appointments: Vincent Tedisco appointed coordinator of funded programs compliance and chief information officer (4‑year probationary appointment); Thomas D. Nicola appointed director of information technology and libraries (4‑year probationary appointment): motions passed (outcome: approved). - Resolution to designate legal counsel for defense and indemnification for a named employee (Joseph Lehi) in pending litigation: motion passed (outcome: approved). - Rates of pay and contract compensation items (IEP reviewers/CSE chairs rates; 6‑period contract compensation for specified BTA members; letters of agreement extending probationary appointments): motions passed (outcome: approved).

Discussion vs. decision: The board’s acceptance of the petition to add seats and rejection of the logo‑restriction petition were formal decisions recorded as motions and votes. Trustees and the district’s legal adviser discussed legal limits and practical consequences (cost of a special election, schedule), and members of the public offered opinions during the public‑comment period; those remarks were recorded as public comment and not board policy actions.

What happens next: The petition to expand the board will appear on the May 20, 2025 ballot. If voters approve that proposition, the district will hold a special election in the statutorily prescribed window to elect the two additional trustees. The rejected logo petition will not appear on the ballot because the board determined it did not comply with applicable state education law.

Reported figures and clarifications: The district’s counsel told the board the estimated additional cost to hold the special election would be about $18,000 (source: board legal counsel’s explanation at the meeting). The board’s acceptance of the expansion petition was a procedural determination that the petition met statutory filing requirements; trustees emphasized that accepting the petition for the ballot is not an endorsement of the proposal.

Ending: The board completed the evening’s agenda after the votes and continued with other business and community reports. The district’s legal notices for the annual district meeting and election remain on the schedule for May; the ballot will include the usual budget vote and, now, the petition question about board expansion on May 20, 2025.