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Board waives facility fees for county pageant after brief debate; vote 7–2
Summary
The board approved a facilities-item motion to waive fees for a Miss Puerto Rico / Miss Latina pageant scheduled at district facilities; the motion passed 7–2 after questions about time, prior waivers and how many district students would participate.
The Pleasantville Board of Education voted Aug. 12 to waive rental fees for an upcoming Miss Puerto Rico / Miss Latina pageant scheduled in district facilities. The motion (agenda item 5.1) passed by roll call with seven yes votes and two no votes.
Motion and debate Motion to waive the fees was made by Miss Mello and seconded by Miss Silver. Members asked procedural and substantive questions before the vote, including why the county event was hosted in Pleasantville, whether the district could approve only a partial fee subsidy, and an apparent discrepancy in event hours across materials (one document listed 3:00–8:00 p.m.; another showed 5:00–8:00 p.m.). One board member noted the pageant had been waived in prior years.
Community speakers and district response Jonathan Diego, who spoke during public comment, had asked the board to consider waiving fees so proceeds could go to scholarships; district staff and the board confirmed two district students would participate. A board speaker summarized past practice: "We're asking to waive the fees ... because they have had it here twice before in the past, and the board has approved it, and they also waived the fees."
Vote and outcome Roll call on the motion recorded these votes: Miss Alberto (yes), Mister Gibson (yes), Miss Akins (no), Miss Mello (yes), Miss Pepe (yes), Miss Silver (yes), Miss Waters (no), Miss King (yes), Miss Rowell (yes). The motion therefore carried 7–2.
Logistics and next steps Board members asked staff to confirm final event hours and to coordinate logistics with the organizer. District staff said they would follow up with the event organizer and provide clarifying documents; the board did not authorize any cash sponsorship or other district expenditures beyond waiving the facility rental fees.
Public note Board members emphasized the district intends to treat community partnerships and facility use requests consistently; some members asked that future committee review occur before public placement on the agenda when materials are incomplete.
