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Averill Park board votes on BOCES seats, rejects BOCES administrative budget after member objections
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Summary
At its meeting the Averill Park Central School District Board approved multiple BOCES representative votes but declined to approve the BOCES tentative administrative budget after board members raised concerns about rising administrative costs and separate OPEB reporting.
At the board meeting, the Averill Park Central School District Board of Education voted to cast its ballots for several candidates to the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) but declined to approve the BOCES tentative administrative budget after extended criticism from board members.
Board members moved and approved casting the district's votes for several BOCES candidates, including Mary Daley, Joseph Garland and John Hill, as the board followed through on its itemized election slate. Chair (S2) read the candidate names and called for votes, which the board recorded as approved for each candidate presented.
The meeting's most contested moment came when the board considered item 9e, the tentative administrative budget for the BOCES that participates across several counties. The motion to approve the administrative budget was moved by Lauren and seconded by Anne. Multiple board members pressed concerns about the budget's administrative cost increases and the separate line-item reporting of OPEB (other postemployment benefits). “I just wanna make a note that I think they continue to miss the mark with their administrative budget by not paying attention to the districts they've served, their financial situations,” said Board member (S4). Another board member added that the pace of administrative increases felt “audacious” given the financial pressures on participating districts.
During debate members contrasted year-over-year changes and questioned whether increases were proportionate to programmatic needs. Chair (S2) noted that the board was voting only on the administrative portion — roughly 7% of the total budget as read from the meeting materials — not the full BOCES operating budget. The motion was then put to a count; the Chair called for those opposed and the measure failed as recorded on the floor.
The transcript records inconsistent numeric amounts read into the record: a very large figure (spoken as “$700,068,087,882”) and a separate reference later to “$7,687,882.” The board discussion and a later speaker reference to “another $7,687,882” indicate the budget-figure presentation contained conflicting spoken numbers; the precise administrative-budget dollar vote recorded by the board was not consistently stated in the transcript and therefore is listed as not specified in the official vote summary below.
What happens next
The board did not approve the tentative BOCES administrative budget at this meeting. The transcript does not show a follow-up directive or next procedural step for the BOCES administrative budget item; the Chair noted the decision did not change the overall BOCES budget for other participating districts. Absent additional instructions on reconsideration in the record, the motion stands as failed at this meeting.
Votes and motion (as recorded in the meeting)
- Motion: approve BOCES tentative administrative budget (item 9e). Mover: Lauren. Second: Anne. Outcome: failed (tally not specified in transcript). Notes: transcript contains inconsistent dollar amounts read aloud by the Chair and speakers; the administrative portion was described in conversation as roughly 7% of the BOCES budget.
