Board approves consent agenda after questions about treasurer stipends; moves to executive session on superintendent evaluation

The Mahopac Central School District Board of Education approved the consent agenda after a board member sought clarification about the stipend set for central treasurers for extra classroom activity accounts and after the superintendent explained the contract history; the board then closed the public session to enter executive session to discuss the superintendent’s evaluation and goals.

During the consent-agenda discussion, a board member asked to revisit item B to clarify stipend amounts and what responsibilities justified the increase. The board heard the historical record: a 2016 memorandum of agreement referenced a $1,500 stipend; a 06/09/2021 memorandum of agreement created Appendix E to set stipends; and the collective bargaining agreement dated 07/01/2019 (noted in the record as signed into effect in 2022) sets an annual stipend of $5,000 for the central treasurer positions. The superintendent said the union steward brought the discrepancy to the district's attention and attorneys advised that any change would not be applied retroactively but that the current contract language must be honored going forward.

The board member pressed for clarity on the scope of duties that distinguish the elementary/middle/high-school treasurer roles, asking, "what does that person do... especially the middle school..." The superintendent and President Schneider said the matter will be raised during upcoming contract negotiations — the current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in June 2025 — so the board can ensure negotiators have the information they need.

Following that discussion, the board moved and seconded approval of the consent agenda and the chair announced, on the record, "so it passes 2, 4, 6 to 1." The record does not provide a clearer numeric tally; the article reports the announced wording from the meeting record.

The board then opened the resident comment period; staff indicated a speaker named Monique had signed up, but no public comment was delivered by attendees present. The meeting concluded public session business when President Schneider moved that the board close the public session and enter executive session to discuss the superintendent's evaluation and goals. That motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with no opposed or abstentions announced on the record.

No formal policy changes or financial adjustments were adopted during the public session; the stipend language under discussion will be revisited during the next round of contract negotiations.