Watertown board approves tax turnover, audits and multiple consent items; adopts $16 minimum wage compliance

The Watertown City School District Board of Education approved a series of action items and consent items at its meeting held at Sherman Elementary.

On a motion approved by voice vote, the board accepted a tax-collection report (as of Dec. 5, 2025) and resolved to send unpaid city property taxes and the outside-city portions to the City Comptroller and Jefferson County treasurer, respectively. The tax collector’s report in the meeting record listed total uncollected taxes and interest as $1,234,219.64.

The board awarded hazardous-materials testing contracts needed for the voter-approved capital project to the lowest responsive bidder (Energy and Environment) for $13,900 to conduct testing at Ohio and Starbuck Elementary schools. Superintendent Dr. Larry Schmeagel said the testing is required to move the $110 million capital project forward.

The single audit for the period ending June 30, 2025, as performed by Bowers and Company, CPAs, was approved after discussion. The superintendent told the board that many of the audit findings had been discussed previously and that some corrective steps are already in place; federal timing had delayed the audit submission.

The personnel report was approved and included a new student extracurricular wellness coach position (a commenter at the meeting noted a $10,000 stipend associated with that position). The board also set the administrative substitute daily rate at $500.

To comply with New York State legislation increasing the minimum wage effective Jan. 1, 2026, the board approved aligning eligible district hourly pay rates to $16 per hour in Jefferson County. Dr. Schmeagel said the change is legally required and that most bargaining-unit contracts are already above the new floor.

Several donations and small grants were accepted in the meeting, including clothing and monetary contributions to the district’s Get Ready Rooms and student programs.

Votes at a glance (items summarized by board action): - Consent agenda (items a–d): approved (voice vote). - Item a: Turn over uncollected taxes to city and county treasurers; approved. Total uncollected reported $1,234,219.64. - Item b: Flower Memorial taxes turnover; approved. - Item c: Memorandum of Understanding with North Country Prenatal Perinatal Council; approved. - Item d: Business associate agreement with North Country Family Health Center; approved. - Item e: Hazardous materials testing contract (Ohio and Starbuck Elementary): $13,900; approved. - Item f: Single audit (period ending 06/30/2025) performed by Bowers and Company, CPAs; approved. - Item g: Personnel report including extracurricular wellness coach: approved. - Item h: Administrative substitute daily rate set at $500 per day: approved. - Item j: Policy 2306 (public participation) adopted: approved. - Hourly pay rates adjusted to comply with NYS minimum wage ($16/hr effective 01/01/2026): approved.

Board members did not provide roll-call tallies in the meeting transcript for most items; motions were carried by voice vote unless noted.

Next steps: staff will proceed with contract execution and capital-project procurement steps noted by district administration. The board scheduled an architect briefing and additional capital-project updates for the Jan. 6 meeting.