Jason Crawford

The board received a presentation on the 2026-27 BOCES budget and an update on the W. E. B. Complex Capital Project. The meeting included an executive session regarding personnel and litigation. Several personnel actions were taken, including the acceptance of resignations for retirement and the appointment of substitute and coaching positions. The board approved the disposal of excess computer and technology equipment, revisions to the district's attendance and tardy policy, and an overnight field trip for the FFA. A series of policies were reviewed for both second and first readings. Furthermore, the meeting involved discussions on the third budget workshop, a fiscal stress report, the 2026-2027 district calendar, a potential solar project PILOT, and a community request regarding farm tractors.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the approval of the consent agenda, which covered minutes from the December 8, 2025 meeting, warrant reports, audit reports, and administrative reports. The Board entered an executive session to review and appoint employees. Action items focused heavily on personnel, including the acceptance of one resignation (Earth & Space Sciences Teacher), approval of Family Care Leave for a School Counselor, and numerous substitute appointments for long-term counselor, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Teaching Assistant/Aide/Monitor positions. Additionally, several spring coaching appointments were approved, including Head Coaches for Boys Varsity Baseball, Modified Boys Baseball, Girls Varsity Softball, Girls Modified Softball, Boys Varsity Golf, Girls Outdoor Track, and Boys Outdoor Track, along with volunteer assistant coaches and an extracurricular advisor for FCCLA. Discussion items included Budget Workshop II focusing on transportation/grounds replacement plans and enrollment numbers; an update on the new attendance/tardy policy which is open for public comment until February 8, 2026; a request forwarded to legal counsel regarding students driving farm tractors to school; a recommendation for two modified boys baseball teams due to high interest; and an update on current swimming pool usage for grades 5-12.

The meeting commenced with a special presentation regarding the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES 2026-27 budget, which included an update on the W. E. B. Complex Capital Project being completed under budget. The Board entered an executive session to discuss personnel matters, including the review and appointment of employees and proposed litigation. Action items subsequently addressed personnel matters, accepting several resignations, including one for retirement from the Food Services Director, and appointing several substitutes and a Head Coach for Modified Baseball. The Board also approved the discarding of excess computer/IT equipment and technology classroom items, approved revisions to the 2025-2026 Attendance/Tardy Policy, and authorized an overnight FFA student trip to the New York State Convention. Further discussion items included Budget Workshop III materials, the district being identified as moderate fiscal stress, the compilation of the 2026-2027 District Calendar, consideration of opting into the Solar PILOT tax exemption, and the status of a farm tractor driving request forwarded to legal counsel.

The meeting included an executive session to review and appoint employees, resulting in the acceptance of one resignation (Earth & Space Sciences Teacher) and the approval of family care leave for a School Counselor. Several substitute appointments were approved, including long-term substitutes for various positions and several substitute Teaching Assistants, effective on or around early January and February 2026. The Board also approved spring coaching appointments for various sports, including Boys Varsity Baseball, Modified Boys Baseball, Girls Varsity Softball, Girls Modified Softball, Boys Varsity Golf, and Girls/Boys Outdoor Track. Discussion items covered the upcoming budget workshop, an update on the attendance/tardy policy (which is open for public comment until February 8, 2026), a forwarded request from a community member regarding driving farm tractors to school, a recommendation to establish two modified boys baseball teams, and an update on current swimming pool usage.

The meeting featured a special presentation discussing the administrative budget for the upcoming year, highlighting that approximately $5 million of the total budget is allocated to central administration costs, and noting significant increases in health insurance expenses (8 to 10%). The presenter also addressed regional enrollment figures, explaining how declining enrollment impacts cost distribution for programs. Further discussion centered on capital project updates, noting that Phase One of the WEB project is nearly complete and came in under budget, which may allow for future investments. A detailed review of Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollments was provided, including low enrollment figures for newer programs like Advanced Manufacturing and Networking, and a discussion regarding the challenges of maintaining viability for programs with low enrollment, such as the PEK program. The PEK program, which offers a pathway to an associate's degree in partnership with Herkimer County Community College, currently has very low student participation.