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Ogdensburg Board to join regionalization study; approves personnel, stipends and $868,451.06 in checks
Summary
The Ogdensburg Borough Board of Education voted Oct. 1 to join Wallkill Valley Regional High School in applying for a state regionalization feasibility grant, approved routine personnel hires and stipends, accepted financial reports and a check register totaling $868,451.06, and approved a tuition contract for a special-education placement.
The Ogdensburg Borough Board of Education voted on Oct. 1, 2024 to join Wallkill Valley Regional High School in applying for a School Regionalization Efficiency Program grant to study whether consolidation or shared services would yield educational or fiscal efficiencies.
The Participant’s Resolution, moved by Ms. Allen and seconded by Ms. Schinn, authorizes Wallkill Valley to lead the feasibility study and submit the application to the New Jersey Division of Local Government Services on behalf of participating districts. The board approved the resolution by voice vote; all members present voted in favor and one member, Mr. Mortensen, was absent.
Why it matters: the SREP grant would fund a formal feasibility study of regionalization or expanded shared services, and could lead to a formal plan for regional implementation if participating districts decide to proceed.
Board business and policies: the board also approved submission of the Ogdensburg District Nursing Services Plan for 2024–2025 and approved a 2023 revision to the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement Between Education and Law Enforcement Officials, which will be sent to the Sussex County Executive Superintendent. The MOA approval cites N.J.A.C. 6A:16-62(b)13-15 and affirms cooperation standards between the school and local law enforcement.
Personnel and programs: on a motion by Ms. Schinn, seconded by Mr. Menendez, the board affirmed the Superintendent’s Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) report for September 2024 (one substantiated incident involving three students, and three ISS/OSS actions for two students). The board approved a William Paterson University teacher candidate, Briana Gaffney, to complete clinical practice in Dr. Takacs’s class during the 2024–25 academic year, and approved several substitute hires (custodian Ken Weite; teachers Rasheedah Michel and Maria Calisto; and substitute nurse Suzanne Potter) and professional-development requests for staff members including Shannon Percey, Maegan Olsen and Michelle Cooper.
Stipends and extracurriculars: the board approved a slate of stipend appointments for the 2024–25 school year, including athletic and coaching stipends (Athletic Director John Hornyak; coaches John Fierro, Ali McGuire and others), Play Director and production stipends for Ray DeLear, and advisors for newspaper, yearbook, STEM and student council. Several positions are paid from PEEA funding; the board approved the amounts as listed in the meeting packet.
Facilities and finances: the board accepted the Board Secretary’s and Treasurer’s monthly financial reports, monthly transfer reports, and approved the check register through September 2024 for checks numbered 018524 through 040201 totaling $868,451.06. The board also approved a tuition contract agreement with Lakeland Andover School for one student (State ID 1250512550) for the 2024–25 school year at a tentative tuition rate of $59,840. The board accepted a corrective action plan addressing a cafeteria account cash threshold finding and noted that new cafeteria equipment purchased in September 2024 brought the account into compliance.
Shared services and facility requests: the board approved termination of the shared-service agreement for business services with Hamburg effective Oct. 1, 2024, and approved multiple facility-use requests for the Ogdensburg PTO (including orientation, Back to School Night, movie night and fall events). The board approved an application for Girl Scouts of NJ Troop 98765 to use the Art Room biweekly. Ms. Schinn registered an abstention on the Girl Scouts facility-use motion; all other present members voted AYE. Mr. Mortensen was recorded absent for votes.
Procedural notes and next steps: Mr. Donegan read the Open Public Meeting notice at the start of the meeting. There were no public comments in Open Session #1 or #2 and no executive session. The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m. on a motion by Ms. Schinn, seconded by Ms. Allen.
Actions taken at the meeting are recorded in the minutes and will be reflected in the district’s filings where applicable; Wallkill Valley Regional High School will submit the SREP application on behalf of participating districts.
