Frontier board approves hires, contracts, budget transfers and bus bond; multiple personnel and financial items carried

The Frontier Central School District Board of Education on June 17, 2025, approved multiple personnel appointments and tenure actions, memoranda of agreement with employee groups, a contract for prescription drug administration support, and transfers from the general fund into several reserves. The board also authorized a bond resolution to purchase school buses.

Major personnel and appointment actions approved included: the appointment of Dr. Christopher Finley (appointment text in agenda) as assistant superintendent for finance and operations at a salary listed as $167,500 effective June 18, 2025; the appointment of Keith Lewis as interim high school principal effective July 1, 2025; and multiple certified and support staff appointments and hires (see "Votes at a glance" below). The board also approved several tenure appointments for certified staff.

Contracts and agreements approved included a contract with Univera Health to provide administrative prescription drug support for the district's self-funded health insurance program (term beginning July 1, 2025), a contract to engage Taylor Taggart as a psychologist intern for the 2025-26 school year at a stipend of $20,000, and several memoranda of agreement with district employee associations. The board approved a second amendment to the lease between the district and the town of Hamburg, as required by Education Law Section 403-a, and delegated authority for execution to the superintendent.

Financial actions approved included transfers from the unassigned fund balance to reserves: up to $2,000,000 to the retirement contribution reserve (effective 06/30/2025) and up to $1,500,000 to the workers' compensation reserve (effective 06/30/2025). The board authorized a transfer not to exceed $350,000 from the general fund to the special aid fund to cover the district's 20% share of summer special education program costs. The board also adopted revised student meal prices for 2025-26 and accepted business management reports.

The board adopted a bond resolution authorizing the purchase of school buses and similar vehicles for transportation at an estimated cost not to exceed $598,232 and delegated authority to the board president to issue bond anticipation notes as needed.

Votes at a glance (selected agenda items and outcomes) - 7.4 Rename Frontier Community Learning Center to Christopher J. Swiatek Falcon Center — Approved (see separate article) - 9.1 Approve assorted district appointments (farm-to-school coordinator, district food service laborer, abolish two part-time laborers, senior account clerk typist, etc.) — Approved - 9.2 Accept retirements/resignations for specified employees — Approved - 9.4 (9.9 per agenda) Appoint Dr. Christopher Finley as Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, salary $167,500, probationary period indicated — Approved - 9.15 and many subsections Appoint multiple classroom teachers and support staff (names listed in the agenda) — Approved - 9.26 Grant tenure to multiple certified staff members listed in the agenda — Approved - 9.29 Approve terms and conditions of employment for Shannon Cross — Approved - 11.35 Approve BOCES 25-26 initial AS-7 contract — Approved - 11.36 Contract with Taylor Taggart (psychologist intern), stipend $20,000, 08/26/2025'05/01/2026 — Approved - 11.37 Contract with Univera Health for administrative prescription drug support, effective 07/01/2025 — Approved - 11.38 Transfer up to $2,000,000 from unassigned fund balance to retirement contribution reserve (effective 06/30/2025) — Approved - 11.39 Transfer up to $1,500,000 from unassigned fund balance to workers' compensation reserve (effective 06/30/2025) — Approved - 11.40 Transfer up to $350,000 from general fund to special aid fund for summer special education program share — Approved - Bond resolution authorizing purchase of buses, estimated cost not to exceed $598,232 and issuance of serial bonds/notes — Approved

How the board voted: For most routine personnel and contract items the minutes record the typical sequence "So moved," a second and the board call for "All in favor? Aye." Where the transcript records a named mover and seconder those names are included in the minutes; vote tallies by individual member name were not recorded in the transcript for every item.

Context and stated rationale: Board members said the transfers to reserves respond to unanticipated fiscal items identified during the 2024-25 fiscal year, including retro billing and unpaid invoices (example cited: a National Fuel billing issue dating back to 2019) and special education transportation and other costs. The Univera contract was described as administrative support for the district's self-funded prescription-drug payment process. The Taylor Taggart contract was presented as a one-year intern engagement with a specified stipend.

Next steps and implementation: Staff were authorized to execute contracts and implement transfers as permitted by the motions. Several appointments were pending final Erie County civil service or fingerprint/clearing requirements as noted in the agenda text.