Iroquois board adds resolution to release excised 'Chiefs' uniforms to seniors for $5

The Iroquois Central School District board moved unanimously to add and approve a superintendent-supplied resolution directing staff to excise old uniforms that “do not meet the New York State requirements under Part 123” and to release the excised items to seniors first for $5 and then to the wider community.

The superintendent presented options gathered from other districts and New York State Education Department (NYSED) correspondence, describing two primary paths: retain the historical items in storage or create an equitable process to distribute or sell them. The superintendent urged prioritizing graduating seniors as the first right of refusal so the last students who wore a given jersey could have it. "The superintendent recommends to excise uniforms that do not meet the New York State requirements under Part 123. They shall be released for the cost of $5 to seniors first, then after that to the community as a whole," the superintendent read during the meeting.

Board members pressed for implementation details. The superintendent said staff would inventory items, consult with coaches and families for named donations, and ask historical societies if they wanted particular artifacts. For high-volume items such as 200 football jerseys, the athletic director will coordinate distribution; items earmarked by donors will be returned to those individuals or organizations.

The board discussed equity concerns: some teams’ pieces may be removable while others are intact, which could create unequal outcomes across sports. Trustees said staff should document the process and legal review so future boards can cite the rationale. The superintendent confirmed a planned meeting with district legal counsel to translate NYSED correspondence into a formal memo and recommended procedures for events and school-day policies.

The motion to add the resolution to the agenda was moved by the chair and seconded; the board then approved the consent agenda that included the new item and the prior withdrawal of item 22.06 by unanimous voice vote. The board directed staff to draft the formal resolution language and to place the release procedure on the consent/consensus agenda for formal record and future reference.

Next steps: staff will pull inventory, coordinate with coaches for senior-first distribution, prepare any donation transfers to historical societies, consult legal counsel about NYSED guidance, and return a drafted resolution and implementation plan for board ratification and documentation.