Bethlehem Central board reorganizes for 2026–27; Holly Denbomb elected president, Meredith Morardi named vice president

The Bethlehem Central School District Board of Education held its July 1 organizational meeting, swore in newly elected members and elected its officers for the 2026–27 school year. Holly Denbomb was chosen as board president and Meredith Morardi as vice president; both were formally sworn into office.

The reorganization mattered because the board also set committee assignments and approved a slate of routine annual appointments and designations that allow the district to carry out contracts, personnel approvals and financial authorizations through the coming year. The board moved and approved the following grouped items: appointment of officers (action items 1–7), annual contractual action items, designations and authorizations, bonding of personnel, finance action items, professional and support personnel actions, and other routine action items.

Superintendent Jodie Monroe led the swearing-in of the superintendent and of newly elected trustees. She thanked staff, families and students for the year and recognized Briana, a student athlete named a USA Lacrosse All‑American, who joined the meeting for a brief recognition and photo.

During the meeting the board finalized committee rosters for the year: the audit committee will include Lauren Graco, Sarah Bailey and Katherine Nat; facilities will include John (Mc Phillips), Sarah Bailey and Bob Teen; the policy committee will include President Holly Denbomb, Bob Teen and Meredith Morardi. Members volunteered for a board representative on the safety committee and agreed to a superintendent evaluation subcommittee (Meredith Morardi, Holly Denbomb and Katherine Nat) to review the evaluation form language.

A board member asked for clarification about petty cash and change funds used by the district’s business office and food service program. A district staff member explained that petty cash covers incidental expenses and is rarely used because the district also relies on a district credit card; change funds are retained for limited transactions (for example, making change for meals), particularly while the district continues to offer universal free meals. Exact petty cash and change fund dollar amounts were not specified during the discussion.

As required by Education Law, the board opened a public hearing on the proposed revised Code of Conduct (Policy 5300). No members of the public spoke for or against the proposal during the hearing, and the hearing was closed. The board then approved the presented policy action items and carried the motion to approve minutes from the June 17, 2026 regular meeting.

Board members also discussed a request from town historian Bill Ketzer for a letter of support to accompany a grant application to research early Black landowning families in the area; the board agreed to provide a letter of support to be signed by the board president and the superintendent.

The board set upcoming dates: its next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12 (executive session at 6 p.m., open session at 7 p.m.), with additional meetings on Sept. 2 and a tentative retreat on Sept. 9. A motion to adjourn carried and the meeting concluded.

Actions recorded in the meeting included election of the board president and vice president and approval of the grouped annual appointments, contracts, personnel actions and policy approvals. The transcript records motions made, seconds and roll-call style votes (recorded as “I” for in favor) but does not provide a detailed roll-call tally in the record.