Wappingers Central School District board approves project labor agreement for 2025 capital improvements

The Wappingers Central School District Board of Education approved a project labor agreement for its 2025 capital improvement project at a special meeting, following a motion by Mr. McFarland that was seconded by Miss Kellen and passed unanimously.

Board documents read into the record say the district (voters approved the 2025 capital improvements on May 19, 2025) engaged Hill International to study whether a project labor agreement would best serve district interests. The materials and the Hill report (identified in the transcript as dated Dec. 1, 2025) concluded a PLA would provide "measurable economic benefits," help prevent favoritism, fraud and corruption, standardize terms of employment, expedite construction, permit scheduling flexibility, provide dispute-resolution mechanisms and promote hiring from the district and the surrounding Hudson Valley.

The resolution approved by the board authorizes the board president to execute the project labor agreement, requires a fully executed copy to be filed with the district clerk, and directs that the agreement be included as an addendum to the bid documents for the project.

A board member who spoke at the meeting and is identified in the transcript by the honorific "Dr." said the PLA process began under the leadership of Dr. Buck and called the agreement "a transformational project for the school district." The speaker thanked Trustee Lumia and President Johnson for advancing the measure and said the district is "very very proud to work with the Hudson Valley Trades Council and our labor organizations," adding the board looks forward to apprenticeship opportunities for students.

The special meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m. after the vote. The transcript does not record individual roll-call vote tallies beyond the board's announcement that the vote was unanimous.