Huntington School Board Elects Officers and Reorganizes
The Huntington School Board has a new president. William Dwyer was elected to the top spot by fellow trustees during the group’s reorganization meeting on July 1 at Jack Abrams Intermediate School. Trustee Emily Rogan was elected to serve as vice president.
Mr. Dwyer was chosen in a 5-2 vote with trustees John Paci and Elizabeth Black voting no. Mrs. Rogan was elected by a vote of 6-1 with Mrs. Black voting no. Mr. Dwyer succeeds trustee Richard McGrath in the president’s post. Mr. McGrath remains as one of seven School Board members. Mrs. Rogan takes over from former trustee Robert T. Lee who did not run for re-election following 12 years of service.
Trustees appointed Elizabeth Troffa as district clerk and Jill Miranda as district treasurer. The law firm of Guercio & Guercio was appointed to serve as general counsel for the 2008/09 school year with a retainer of $38,500 and a litigation rate of $230 per hour. The amount represents an increase from last year of $2,500 in the retainer and $5 per hour in the litigation rate.
Guercio & Guercio was also reappointed as district labor counsel with a retainer of $80,000 (a $2,500 increase from last year) and an hourly rate of $230 ($5 higher than last year) for litigation services other than those related to collective bargaining units.
R.S. Abrams & Co. LLP was appointed internal claims auditor at a rate of $2,500 per month. Trustees Elizabeth Black and John Paci and district resident Lynn Kiraly were appointed to serve on the district audit committee.
Corporate Medical Consultants P.C. (John M. Colletta, MD) was appointed to serve as the district physician with a retainer of $52,850. The firm is located on Wall Street in Huntington Village.
Trustees appointed members of the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and the Committee on Special Education. Trustee Emily Rogan was chosen to review CPSE and CSE minutes, if needed, outside of the time frame of a regularly scheduled board meeting. “She will accept the recommendations set forth in the CSE/CPSE minutes on behalf of the Board of Education,” explained David H. Grackin, assistant superintendent for finance and management services.
Assistant Superintendent Barbara Lacey was appointed Section 504 compliance officer relative to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Assistant Superintendent Joseph Giani was appointed Title IX compliance officer. Mr. Grackin was appointed to serve as central treasurer for extra-classroom (clubs/teams, etc.) activity accounts. Trustees also appointed Joanne Guerreri (Woodhull Intermediate), Claude Masear (Jack Abrams Intermediate), Lori Bennett (J. Taylor Finley Middle School) and Eileen DeAngelis (Huntington High School) as building level central treasurers. The positions were established at the behest of Sheehan and Company, the district’s internal auditors.
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Established cafeteria prices of 50 cents for milk, $1.25 for breakfast, $1.90 for elementary lunch and $2.25 for secondary lunch.
• Approved a list of 73 community organizations authorized to use district facilities.
• Approved a list of employees authorized to receive mileage reimbursement for district related travel.
• Appointed Margaret Creighton the district’s deputy treasurer as a stipend of $250. She will be able to sign checks in the absence of the district treasurer.
• Appointed Joan Sheedy the district’s purchasing agent at a stipend of $6,000. Mr. Grackin was appointed the deputy purchasing agent.
• Appointed Mrs. Troffa as the records access and record management officers.
• Appointed several dozen election clerks and inspectors for school district elections and referendums. Appointed Concetta Cagnino as a member of the Board of Registration and Sondra Somin and the chief inspector.
• Appointed Dr. Giani as the residency hearing officer.
• Designated Dr. Lacey as chief information officer for State Education Department reporting purposes and appointed Marybeth Robinette as “backup” information officer.
• Appointed Eastern Suffolk BOCES to provide health and safety consultant services with a retainer of $17,348.
• Appointed Labor, Education and Community Services Agency as the district’s employee assistance program (EAP) for an annual fee of $16,150 to be paid in four quarterly installments of $4,037.50.
• Designated the Huntington News, The Long-Islander and Newsday as the newspapers authorized to receive the district’s legal notices. At the time of ad placement it will be determined which paper will be used.
• Approved Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, First National Bank of Long Island, State Bank, Citibank, MBIA – Class, Commerce Bank and Capital One to be used as school district depositories for various funds.
• Authorized the district’s continued participation in the Long Island Municipal Banking Consortium.
• Reviewed and reaffirmed the district’s investment and purchasing policies in accordance with state law.
• Readopted the district’s code of conduct.
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