Middletown board approves capital‑project proposition language, personnel appointments and routine motions; all votes pass

The Enlarged City School District of Middletown Board of Education approved a slate of resolutions, personnel appointments and operational motions at its April 24 meeting, including language authorizing a capital‑project proposition and several personnel memoranda and calendar changes.

The board approved a resolution authorizing the submission of a proposition at the district’s annual meeting to permit capital improvements at various school buildings, including athletic‑field and playground upgrades, and to finance up to an estimated $45,645,000 in project costs. The resolution, moved by Board Member Tobias and seconded by Board Member Perino, passed 8–0. The published language states the district will use capital reserves and unappropriated fund balance for part of the cost and raise the remainder through a tax levy and bond issuance (the resolution as read at the meeting listed specific funding line items). District counsel and staff also reported that the project was determined to be a Type II action under SEQRA rules as presented.

Other formal actions taken (summary) - Personnel memoranda: The board approved personnel memorandum 20a (administrative appointments), instructional personnel memorandum 20b (items 1–6) and non‑instructional memorandum 20c (items 1–6). Instructional memorandum 20b item 3 recorded one board abstention (President Estrada abstained because he said he knows the individual); the rest passed unanimously. - Change order: A single change order (14f #1) to reinforce concrete floors in the Twin Towers remodeling project was approved 8–0. - Calendar amendments: The board approved amendments to the 2024–25 and the 2025–26 instructional calendars (including one date change tied to contractual requirements and a Memorial Day staffing/closure schedule) 8–0. The 2024–25 amendment included adding Tuesday, May 27 as a district closure tied to contractual day/hour requirements. - Memoranda of agreement (MOA): The board approved MOAs creating assistant director positions for physical education/health/athletics and for ENL/World Languages (vote 8–0). - Financial and special‑services memoranda: Financial memorandum 20d (items 1–2) and special services memorandum 19e (items 1–2) were approved unanimously. - Stipulation agreement: The board approved a stipulation agreement between the district and Employee #08074, discussed in executive session (8–0). - Orange‑Ulster BOCES votes: The board approved the Orange‑Ulster BOCES administrative budget for 2025–26 ($9,638,064) and authorized the district clerk to certify the vote (8–0). The board cast its votes in the BOCES board election for three cooperative members; the motion carried 7–0–1 with an abstention recorded by the district clerk (transcript: Miss Monchere abstained on that vote).

Board President Estrada read each motion and called for individual roll calls where required; most items passed unanimously. The board also introduced and celebrated several personnel appointments in public recognition before voting.

Why this matters: The capital‑project proposition language and MOAs clarify the district’s near‑term spending and staffing commitments and will appear on the district ballot alongside the budget on May 20. The personnel approvals and MOAs affect staffing at the administrative and athletics levels and were part of the district’s routine operational business at the meeting.