Roll call confirmed a full board: Mayor Mullen, Deputy Mayor Carpenter, and Trustees Anderson, Eldahry, Howell, Otondi and Solomon, with Administrator Scelza also present. Every recorded vote that followed was therefore 7–0.

Resolution 8 appointed a new firefighter, passing 7–0. Matthew DiNapoli [VERIFY] was sworn in and began the 21-week fire academy the same week; Trustee Howell, who sat on the interview panel, said he stood out among the candidates. Firefighter Camardela [VERIFY] was promoted to Lieutenant and sworn in, with first-line supervisor training starting September 14.

The Mayor noted the Pelham Fire Department has existed since 1893. The board commended the chief, the captain and Chris Gelsar [VERIFY] on the administrative side for an interview process aimed at rebuilding with experienced personnel.

DPW summer totals: 2,772 tons of asphalt placed through the annual paving program; 120 cubic yards of concrete poured for new sidewalks; three catch basins and four roadway sinkholes repaired; 16 tons of street sweeping debris removed; 120 gallons of traffic paint applied to crosswalks and markings. Thanks were extended to the DPW crew by name.

Coming up: a Chamber of Commerce community meetup on livability and sustainability, September 14, 6–8pm at Cantina Lobos (RSVP through the Chamber); the Sustainability Advisory Board at the farmers market on Sunday September 27, with compost collection, textile recycling, free native plants from EcoPell, and information on GridRewards, solar through Sustainable Westchester, and pollinator-friendly yards; and the Hutchinson River Restoration Project "Sanford Sweep" at Glover Field on October 4, 9am–1pm, open to all for any length of time. The Junior League of Pelham was thanked for tending the pollinator garden in Woodland Park.

Trustee Eldahry noted the first day of school for the Pelham Union Free School District and urged drivers to allow extra time, put phones down, and watch for children walking and biking.

Trustee Howell reported 66 fire department calls in August, roughly a third of them EMS — underlining why firefighters being trained EMTs matters for response times — plus mutual aid to Pelham Manor and Greenville. A fire lieutenant — rendered on the recording as Lieutenant Mullin [VERIFY], a surname the transcription also confuses with the Mayor's — has begun upgrading permit inspections for commercial apartments in buildings with three or more families. The 9/11 Memorial Ceremony was set for Friday at 8:30am at the town monument across from the train station.

Also flagged: a chili cook-off hosted by Professional Firefighters Local 2213 on October 3 at the fire department, $10 per person; the final Council on the Arts Sunset Series event on September 26; and a newly hired traffic officer. A trustee described watching three cars run a red light at Lincoln and Third near a school that morning — "phones down, heads up."

Police: 362 calls for service in August. A new officer, Joseph Bonjono [VERIFY], a transfer from the NYPD, started August 31 and is in field training. Trustee Solomon thanked the Mayor for his community letter on pedestrian safety and reminded residents of the 25 mph village limit and 15 mph in school zones.

School zone speed cameras: the Governor signed the home rule legislation around August 13–14 and the law takes effect this month. Next steps are engaging vendors and stakeholders, residents included, before installation. State Senator Fernandez — present at the meeting — and Assemblywoman Paulin [VERIFY] were thanked for their partnership.

Live streaming: equipment was ordered the prior week with roughly a month's lead time, so the village expects to go live on public access at about the second meeting in October. It is compatible with the new municipal center and supports multi-channel communication.

Deputy Mayor Carpenter flagged a Westchester County Office of Economic Development survey for local businesses, live at WestchesterCatalyst.com, suggesting it may precede a second round of downtown improvement grants of the kind the village has won before, and urged Chamber outreach.

Administrator Scelza reported village-wide catch basin cleaning underway, with basins around the schools done the previous week ahead of the school year; the remainder waits on the contractor finishing in another municipality.

Mayor's report: county economic initiatives around business attraction and talent retention, including housing, with outreach to the Westchester Municipal Officials Association and a county "Blueprint 26" effort with the Westchester County Association. The 9/11 ceremony begins at 8:30am Friday, with an 8:15 arrival advised for traffic.

A resident (named on the recording as Catherine Delayva [VERIFY]) spoke for the first time at a village meeting. Her parents lived in Pelham for 55 years and she is caring for their home near the Seventh Street boundary with New Rochelle while living in the city. She opened by praising the police and the EMTs who attended her parents over the years.

Wednesday August 26, after 9pm: sudden, aggressive, repeated battering on her front door. She shouted that she was calling the police and saw a figure run. Police responded; a neighbour's camera showed a large group of teenagers coming down from Seventh Street on the New Rochelle side. Talking to neighbours afterwards, she found they had been experiencing similar incidents for months.

The Sunday before the meeting: she left the house at 5:20pm and returned to the city. At about 9:30pm an Amazon delivery photo showed her front door open. She called police, who reported the house secure; arriving at about 10:10pm she found the back of the front door completely splintered and no longer locking. Small door alarms appear to have deterred whoever it was.

She said the Seventh and Eighth Street area straddles the municipal line and worried it gets overlooked as a result, questioned how much Pelham and New Rochelle police coordinate, and said a doorbell camera alone would not address the underlying problem. She offered to approach New Rochelle PD herself if given guidance on how.

Mayor Mullen: "I haven't heard that there's a more systemic thing happening. So I want to check in with the chief on that." He committed to following up with Police Chief Green [VERIFY], and referenced earlier coordination between Pelham and New Rochelle police over fireworks complaints at Fini Park in the same Seventh/Eighth Street area, indicated extra patrols were the likely next step, and recommended a Ring spotlight camera alongside a doorbell camera. A trustee noted the village's own doorbell camera footage had previously led to an arrest.

Trustee Solomon drew the distinction that mattered most: a phone call is not necessarily an official report. He urged the resident and her neighbours to file formal reports for every incident so the department holds a documented record it can act on and share with New Rochelle, noting a broken-in door should generate one automatically. The resident said she would make documenting incidents a priority for herself and her neighbours.

Residents with similar concerns can reach the Village at info@pelhamny.gov.

State Senator Fernandez and a visiting assemblymember addressed the board, thanking it for the partnership and commending its attentiveness to residents' concerns. The Albany session runs January to June, so more village meetings are possible in the autumn. A June town hall at the Pelham Picture House on the budget was referenced, and the legislator said they would attend the 9/11 ceremony, which they alternate annually between the Bronx and Pelham.

Funding: $300,000 in road funding has been allocated, with work awaiting a letter before it can begin, and $500,000 in flood mitigation funding is already allocated. A senior advisor was introduced as the local point of contact when the legislator is not present.

Item 9 — school crossing guards (part-time). Christian Codge [VERIFY] of the Bronx was appointed at an annual salary of $11,652, 7–0. Ricky Postell [VERIFY] of Mount Vernon was appointed, 7–0. Trustee Solomon suggested the village send a welcoming message each school year introducing crossing guards by name and location; the Mayor agreed and proposed compiling a roster, to be worked out offline.

Item 11 — intermunicipal agreement with the City of New Rochelle for organic waste disposal, previously discussed in work session, passed 7–0.

Item 12 — the village-owned aerial ladder truck was declared surplus and its disposal authorised through Brindley Mountain Fire Apparatus LLC [VERIFY], 7–0.

Accounts payable of $605,019.15 — General Fund $208,057.56, Capital Projects $393,016.59, Trust & Agency $3,445.00 — approved 7–0 after a question about an ice maker line item was answered.

Minutes of the August 11 work session and regular meeting were approved 5–0, with Deputy Mayor Carpenter and Trustee Otondi abstaining. A street closure request for the 9/11 ceremony, relayed from Mr. Dernan [VERIFY], was confirmed as being handled. No executive session was needed.

Next meeting: Tuesday September 22, work session 7:00pm, board meeting 8:00pm.

Deputy Mayor Carpenter chaired. Mayor Mullen and Trustee Eldahry absent. Roll call icebreaker: "Do you stand in line or online?"

Trustee Anderson: NYSERDA grant complete — two electric MaxEV refuse haulers delivered. Pelham Liberty Tree Initiative launched July 4th — native tree plantings October 2026. Con Ed GridRewards event July 15, 4–8pm.

Trustee Howell: Arts concerts: July 25, Aug 8, Aug 22, Sept 25. Fire dept ~80 calls. 9/11 Memorial Sept 11, 8:30am. Cooling center open. Storm wire safety reminder.

Mayor plans to sign letter urging Westchester County to consolidate all 45 municipalities' sewer systems. Equity concern: Pelham invested heavily — may resist subsidizing others. Tiered rates for ~20 years proposed as solution.

Preliminary $24.25M stormwater approval from Westchester County Stormwater Advisory Board. Number may change. Carpenter, Howell, Scelza meeting with county July 15. Thanks to Blanca Lopez, Westchester County Planning Commissioner.

Resident Ari Schwartz, 2 Fifth Avenue: Repeated noise violations (pile driving from 6am), earthquake-like shaking, cracked walls, partial structural collapse ~2 months ago. Residents not informed — only property owners.

Board response: Rock found 70 feet down (expected shallower). Pressure tests failed. Foam injected around adjacent building. Firehouse stairwells had been sinking. Third-party engineer approved fix (piers/underpinning). Report violations: chance.mallini@pelhamny.gov. Health dept. assessment of algae pit suggested.

Resident Gemma Mosknerman, 64 Store Avenue: Nightly fireworks past 11pm from Fini Park for weeks. Group calling NR PD up to 6x/night — only 12 calls logged in NR records since Memorial Day. June 7: blockbuster fireworks in front of Harman Ave home; next night sticks thrown at window where toddlers play.

Trustee Howell: Increased PPD patrols 8–11pm on Harman/Store corridor. Videos to krystal.howell@pelhamny.gov.

All 6-0. Deputy Village Treasurer appointed. Sofia Pizzatello (Pelham) hired as Building Dept. intern at $16/hr. Year-end budget amendments and $775,017.49 AP authorized. Next meeting: August 11.

Called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance; fire safety exits noted for those attending in person. Trustee Winstead was absent on an out-of-town family matter and Deputy Mayor Bennett on a family commitment. The Mayor noted both remained in contact and that collaboration was continuing. Three members present — enough for a quorum, but not enough to approve the previous meeting's minutes.

Reported by Trustee Case. American Legion Post 50 and the Town of Pelham held their annual remembrance at 9/11 Memorial Park, off Harman Place, the previous Friday, carrying added weight as the 25th anniversary. The board thanked first responders from both villages who attend in uniform each year.

Paul Satorius, a Pelham Manor Fire Department member, was added to the list of names read at the ceremony, his death having been officially classified as 9/11-related.

Reported by Trustee Owen-Michaane and the Village Manager. Restoration of the historic police booth at Four Corners is nearly complete. A healthy tree came down on it during a storm several weeks earlier — a setback, and a reminder of the risk the village's tree canopy carries in high winds. Roof shingles were due to arrive the following day, September 15; completion is a scheduling matter from there. Town historian Arthur Senta was thanked for his input on colour and aesthetics.

Stormwater mitigation: the village's continued investment was credited with strong performance through several large rainstorms and flash floods. Nearby communities fared worse — one city up the road saw flooding severe enough that someone had to be rescued from a vehicle.

The Mayor announced the deaths of two long-time residents. Tish Davie — a long-time Pelham Manor resident who survived a double lung transplant and continued working at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Kay Teeley — a 50-year resident, a Siwanoy School mother, and an accomplished professional in the music industry; she was about 86, and is survived by her daughter Nancy Riley. The Mayor encouraged residents to read about both.

Approval of the August 17 minutes was deferred to the next meeting. Trustee Owen-Michaane had been absent from that meeting, which left too few of those present tonight eligible to approve them. The Village Manager confirmed the deferral was acceptable.

Reported by Fire Commissioner Case. Two kitchen fires, both contained to the area of origin — the Mayor noted one she had stopped by was already out by the time she arrived. Multiple wires-down and trees-on-limbs calls through the storms. 10 motor vehicle accidents on I-95, which State Police are investigating as suspected insurance fraud: drivers cutting in front of trucks and other vehicles and braking hard to be rear-ended. Residents were advised to stay alert on I-95 and local highways.

Five mutual aid requests, to Pelham, Mount Vernon and Greenville; two automatic aid responses to Pelham. Four minor water conditions, none storm-related — credited to the village's stormwater work, with storm-related call volume described as "almost nil." 168 hours of in-service training and eight building safety inspections.

Paul Satorius: the department attended a flag retirement ceremony at Montfort Academy in Mount Vernon, accepting the flag on behalf of the department and in his memory; members attended the Rising Memorial where his name was added to the wall; his name will appear at the Westchester County Firefighters Memorial in October; and the department escorted a participant on the 25th anniversary "Paul's push" run from the New Rochelle border into the Bronx. The Commissioner also thanked a neighbouring department for automatic aid on residential structure fires — its name did not transcribe clearly and has been left out rather than guessed at.

Reported by the Village Manager. Four street lights and two traffic lights repaired; seven sidewalk sections repaired ahead of the school year; park maintenance conducted; potholes repaired using roughly three tons of blacktop; heavy tree cleanup after a windy, stormy summer. Test pits were dug on Monroe Street ahead of the coming stormwater mitigation project.

Monroe Street goes out to bid by the end of September, with an update expected at the next meeting. ConEd repaving: a meeting was held with ConEd paving crews the same day; crews return by the end of the month to restore pavement around Francis, Esplanade, Sherwood, Suburban, Eli and Manger Circle. The village will send a notification blast once the date is confirmed, timed with the Pelham Jewish Center and ongoing Jewish holidays in mind.

August materials: roughly 310 tons collected, 47% recycled — early in the year but on the village's usual pace.

Vote: motion to approve the Fire and DPW reports as described; moved, seconded, carried unanimously.

Wyman Park — Harvest Festival. Saturday October 17, 2–6pm, rain date Sunday October 18, roughly 75 attending. Carried unanimously.

Shore Park — two concurrent requests, both Saturday October 3. Ms. Mizyan requested 10am–12:30pm for a children's birthday party, about 50 people, rain date October 4; Ms. Davis of Suburban Avenue requested 11am–1pm, no rain date. The board and Manager Luft noted Shore Park is first-come, first-served and that exclusive use is not granted; both requestors were told of the overlap and accepted it. Approved together in a single motion, carried unanimously.

Bonmar Road closure. Ms. Marin requested a block party Sunday September 27, 5–7pm, rain date October 4. Carried unanimously; no seconder was audible on the recording.

Pelham Manor Road closure — Halloween. A resident requested closing Pelham Manor Road from its intersection through to the cul-de-sac for a block party on Saturday October 31, 1:30–4:30pm, rain date November 1. The requestor's name and the cross-street names were marked phonetic in the transcript and are not published here — see the official minutes. The required resident signature threshold was met, though not every household signed, and residents were advised vehicles would be inaccessible during the closure. Carried unanimously.

Vouchers: a resolution authorising the Mayor to sign the abstract of voucher numbers 34,926 through 34,996 was moved, seconded and carried unanimously.

Public comment: the floor was opened and no member of the public spoke. Public comment was closed.

Executive session: with counsel present, the board moved to adjourn into closed session on pending litigation and an employment matter concerning a particular person. Carried unanimously. The next regular public meeting was noted as roughly two weeks out.

Trustee Owen-Michaane was absent, travelling out of state; the chair relayed that he remains current on issues and is working with the Village Manager on drainage infrastructure assessment, which performed well through the summer storm and hurricane season. Con Edison removed a hazardous tree after storm damage, with structural repairs that week and aesthetic work the next; no further outages followed.

Condolences were extended for two long-time residents: Frank Barbieri, roughly 30 years in the volunteer fire department reaching the rank of lieutenant and also a member of the American Legion, survived by his wife Diana and sons Chris, Frank and Thomas; and Donna DelPonte, who died after fighting an aggressive cancer, survived by her husband Frank and children Larissa and Frankie.

Deputy Mayor's announcements: The Pedestrian & Traffic Safety Survey remains open on the village website. The textile recycling program runs Saturday pickups, with items left out Friday night and the accepted-items list online. A Siwanoy School student was recognized for breaking another world record.

Fire (Captain Figueroa, for Chief Greco; Commissioner Trustee Case): 86 total calls, including 4 automatic aid calls — 3 to Pelham, 1 to New Rochelle — and 14 motor vehicle accidents, most on I-95. Twelve in-service inspections and 33 training sessions totalling 161 hours. Storms drove multiple trees-down and wires-down calls; one Pelham automatic aid call was an electrical fire at a business; one bridge strike involved a truck. Firefighters Leonard and Satino Esposito completed their probationary year.

Police (introduced by the Deputy Mayor as Police Commissioner): 352 incidents, including 10 larcenies of which 6 were shoplifting, plus a wallet taken from a shopping cart in the business district. The Chief urged shoppers not to leave bags unattended in carts and to stay off their phones while shopping, and warned residents to guard personal documents and verify unsolicited callers before sharing information.

Responding to parent inquiries, the Chief set out the rules. E-bikes and e-scooters: minimum operator age 16; helmets required for ages 16–17; not permitted on sidewalks; must follow all state vehicle and traffic law including speed limits on roads up to 30 mph and stop signs; must yield to pedestrians. Multiple e-bike-versus-car accidents have been noted, and delivery drivers frequently use them.

E-dirt bikes are classified as off-highway motorcycles under state law and are not legal on public roadways, sidewalks, bike paths or parks unless fully registered and insured. Protective gear is required for riders aged 16–17 on roadways.

DPW (Village Manager Luft): 6 street lights repaired, 9 sidewalk sections, 3 tons of blacktop into potholes, and 10 more trees planted. A 66-tree NIPA order was submitted, putting the calendar year on track for about 81 trees. Roughly half of 342 total tons collected was recycled. The Village Hall parking lot fence was replaced. Two grant applications went out — Climate Smart Communities and the Water Quality Improvement Project — and the Manager took on building the website for the Long Island Sound watershed intermunicipal council, which had lapsed for about five years.

Treasurer (combined June and July): total fund balance at the end of July around $19 million, with real property taxes of roughly $15 million tracking the budget forecast and no notable expenditures — a "strong fiscal position" heading into the year.

Pelham Parking LLC: Renewal of a special permit roughly ten years old authorizing bus and similar vehicle storage on Canal Road, on a 3-year term with an option to extend and a 3% fee increase, projected annually across the term. Conditions are unchanged and the permitted area is fixed by an exhibit map. Manager Luft noted the permit generates non-property-tax revenue for the village. No public comments were received.

Five Canal Road LLC: A Mount Vernon bus company sought an additional maintenance facility at 5 Canal Road; the board had referred the application to the Planning Board in May 2026, which recommended it favourably as a Type II action under SEQRA with no significant changes. Five conditions were carried into the permit: use limited to a maintenance facility only; the truck route on Pelham Parkway restricted to right turn only, toward Mount Vernon and away from village traffic; all employees parking on site; at most one oversized bus stored on site and two buses on the premises at any time; and no overnight storage of electric buses. Attorney William Null, for the applicant, thanked the village and said they "look forward to being good community members." No other public comments were received.

New York Athletic Club, 31 Shore Road: The board approved a site plan amendment and floodplain development permit for demolition of one building and complete reconstruction of two supporting the pool complex, with ADA-compliant and emergency access upgrades, entryway landscaping and drainage improvements. The Planning Board had recommended it favourably subject to a variance, which the Board of Appeals granted. The DEC has emailed confirmation that approval is forthcoming, but the chair and staff confirmed that no construction or building permits will issue until formal DEC approval is in hand.

Snow and ice: A supplemental agreement with NYS DOT brings the village roughly $5,000 more for salting and clearing state roads within the village during a heavier-than-normal season.

Budget amendment: A line-item cleanup for FY2025–26 reflecting actual revenues and expenditures — a practice recommended by the State Comptroller's office ahead of audit — with net zero change to taxpayers and no tax increase. Treasurer Booth was credited for interfacing with the Comptroller's office.

Block party: A street closure was approved for Saturday, September 12, 2026, 11am–10pm, with a September 13 rain date.

Josh Casper, resident and volunteer firefighter, opened with a tribute to Frank Barbieri, who recruited him into the Pelham Volunteer Fire Company about 30 years ago.

On the Amtrak Forest Road project he raised five concerns: flyers went to only a handful of households on Forest Road and some entry lane addresses rather than all affected residents; work will run 24/7 at some point, requiring track shutdowns; Amtrak's representative could not specify noise thresholds or how residents would measure and report noise, though mitigation was acknowledged; past crews parked along Forest Road and left litter; and the gate to the rail area has been left open during work, which he urged be closed after every vehicle entry given children and "potential bad actors" near the tracks. He asked the board to monitor the project and engage Amtrak directly.

Board and staff response: The village uses the same contact listed on Amtrak's flyers, who has been responsive on trash and related issues, and has passed on the fence concerns; the contractor said it will keep the village in the loop when ready to mobilise. The corridor project runs three years, though not all of it falls in the immediate area. The board settled on two immediate steps — ask the Police Department for extra patrol loops and sweeps, and deploy the village's mobile spotlight along the street, raising awareness without shining it at anyone's house.

Helmet safety: Casper also asked whether the village runs a helmet distribution or grant programme, having seen children riding without them. The board confirmed helmets have been distributed, including at the farmers market, under the "Safety Starts with You" pedestrian and traffic safety initiative, and that officers run assemblies at Prospect Hill and Siwanoy covering rules of the road and helmet fitting.

Opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, chaired by Supervisor Theresa Mohan. The board immediately announced an agenda change: the independent auditor would present the fiscal year 2025 financials first, before the regular order resumed. Roll call was taken but is largely inaudible on the recording; four members answer.

The town's outside auditor (not named audibly) presented results for the Town and its cemetery, using a slide deck plus a detail handout.

Opinion: unmodified — a clean opinion, described as "the highest level of assurance an entity can receive" — confirming the financial statements fairly present the town's position as of December 31, 2025.

Internal controls: some control deficiencies noted, but none rising to a material weakness or significant deficiency; several had already been corrected by management. No uncorrected differences — every proposed audit journal entry was recorded. The auditor flagged forthcoming GASB pronouncements and committed to working with the controller on them.

General fund: opening balance ~$2.2M, closing ~$2.45M, unassigned ~$2.1M after three years of growth — about 20% of the 2026 adopted budget, roughly 60% above the GFOA benchmark of two months' operating expenses. The original budget planned to draw $288,000 of fund balance for tax relief; a mid-year amendment added $346,000 in expenditures (including $176,000 for recreation and instructional items) and raised the planned draw to $626,000. The town instead ran a surplus. $350,000 of fund balance is being used to balance the 2026 budget as tax relief.

Revenue detail: interest and penalties ~$50,000 better than final budget; departmental income $2.8M against $2.4M budgeted (~$480,000 favorable, mostly parks and recreation charges, offset by higher spending in the same category); use of money and property ~$182,000 against $110,000 budgeted; sale of property and insurance recoveries $245,000 against $8,000 budgeted; mortgage tax $392,000 against $350,000. An unbudgeted state ambulance grant also landed. Revenues beat the final budget by $1.17M. Ambulance expenditures came in at ~$1.9M, $391,000 over budget, partly offset by savings elsewhere. The town exceeded the tax cap in 2025 after adopting the required local law.

Board response: members called it the most thorough presentation the town's accountant has given, and noted this was the first time the financials had been presented in public. The auditor advised continued monitoring of ambulance operations — separating recurring from non-recurring revenue and weighing pension and OPEB obligations — with ambulance insurance costs specifically flagged for 2027 budget development.

Greg Farrell, Pelham resident: Said he had trouble hearing parts of the meeting and asked that everyone speak directly into the microphones. He then asked the town to consider producing transcripts of its meetings and sharing them publicly within a reasonable time, noting the school board already does so.

Board response: "We don't generally produce a transcript. I think we can look into it" — with the caveat that it depends on everyone actually using the microphones. No commitment or deadline was given.

The September 6 event: five EMS calls inside roughly three hours. Four were serious, including at least two cardiac arrests; the fifth was a lower-acuity fall. At peak, four paramedics and three ambulances were working in the Town of Pelham at once. Mutual-aid partner EVAC supplied two paramedics and two additional ambulances. The fire department — which does not normally run EMS first response — responded to cardiac arrest calls, and Pelham Police assisted on one. A board member contrasted this with three years ago, before the EVAC partnership, when waits could exceed 30 minutes.

Operations: the service is not billed for mutual-aid calls and will begin tracking person/lost-time data and participating more actively in the regional mutual-aid system from October. The Deputy Supervisor attended the first Quality Assurance meeting, which focused on response times, call types and mutual-aid frequency; a hospital is already represented and another may join.

Hospital turnaround was named an ongoing problem — sample times of 19, 25, 20, 44, 45, 45, 30 and 75 minutes, averaging about 30 at one frequently used facility, during which the ambulance is out of the service area. The service averages 2.6 calls a day. Contingency plans run from B through E when an ambulance is tied up.

Clarification for residents: some older residents believe the ambulance will not take them to their preferred hospital. Not so — the service transports to a patient's primary hospital where possible.

Countywide plan: New York State requires Westchester County to produce a comprehensive countywide EMS plan by the end of 2026. A regional meeting was set for the Wednesday after this one, with the Village of Pelham and Village of Pelham Manor represented. A local EMS Committee including residents and both village and town representatives is still being finalized.

Courts: operating in a "good rhythm" with the new court clerk in place, and applying for a grant toward a copy machine.

Glover Field: an inter-municipal meeting was held the prior Thursday. Municipalities are discussing an inter-municipal cooperation agreement that would need Town Council approval; a consultant is the likely next step. Grant funding under discussion runs on an 80/20 split with a 20% municipal contribution. Nothing is settled.

Sustainability: a council member reported outreach to ChargePoint to revisit the $30,000 EV charger grant, shared with Supervisor Mohan and with Mamaroneck, and thanked a resident for energy benchmarking reports. Consultant T.Y. Lin presented the Clean Mobility Plan at a conference, focused on right-sizing transit and mobility recommendations; further grants are being sought.

Audit follow-up: the library was covered in the town audit process, which recommended a regular, formalized communication process between the library and the town on how expenses are recognized, categorized, allocated and invoiced.

Transformation project: a letter from the Library Board of Trustees, posted in late August, set out the board's current position. The library board is awaiting further information before deciding whether to proceed or pause.

Governance and budget clarity: the library is an independent corporate entity with its own audit; the town's audit references library funding but does not cover it. During budget season it emerged that some town spending benefiting the library — landscaping, for example — was never allocated to the library fund line. The town has asked that those costs be separated, and the library board agrees. Residents should expect year-over-year comparisons to need apples-to-apples adjustment as a result: the categorization changed, not the spending.

August numbers: 5,579 door visits; 271 children enrolled in summer reading, earning 97 cookie, 113 pizza-slice and 74 ice cream prizes; 242 children in in-house scavenger hunts; 63 adults in summer reading Bingo, the winner receiving a Kindle; 702 adults playing "My Turn at the Library"; 3,700 households on the newsletter.

Coming up: Kids Day at the Library, historically the library's biggest month for attendance and programming, aimed at kindergartners getting a first library card — each receives a bag with a book and a stuffed reading buddy, alongside crafts and a petting zoo. Booktemberfest, the Oktoberfest-themed fundraiser, with tickets via a banner on the library homepage — note this recording gives the date as October 5, where the August 3 meeting confirmed October 3, 5–8pm.

Library cards run three years and renew in person with proof of residency; cardholders are emailed on expiry. The three-year term is set by the shared library system, not by Pelham, and the town pays into that system based on active card count. New library board leadership takes effect October 1 (names not clear on the recording).

Fall registration is open. After-school programs run at each elementary school, advertised by backpack flyer and on the town website.

Youth: cheerleading, youth football, flag football, basketball clinics, karate, rugby, running club, volleyball, tennis and Pre-K Tiny Tigers Karate. Adults: ladies tennis (morning and afternoon), men's tennis Tuesdays and Fridays, Mahjong moved to Tuesdays with open play and beginner lessons, ladies volleyball Tuesday evenings, men's softball Wednesdays, ladies field hockey Tuesday nights.

Seniors in August: 22 medical van trips for doctor appointments, a birthday celebration, hot dog day, an ice cream truck visit, a luncheon and a county-wide senior dance party at Glen Island. Mayor Chance Mullen hosted lunch and a tour of the new village hall for seniors. Ongoing: exercise Tue/Thu 10–11am; yoga Fri 10–11am; Glover Field walking Wed 10–11am weather permitting; arts and crafts first Wednesday 1–3pm; cards Mondays 2–3:30pm and Wed/Fri 12–3:30pm.

Cost review: meetings are underway to analyze the cost structure of camp and after-school activities against revenues and to review contracts with outside programming partners. A council member praised the internal-controls work behind it.

Memorial Field noise: the Senator reported on summer noise complaints from Memorial Field and a waterfront party boat, and said correspondence with Memorial Field management meant no concert date was scheduled this year, unlike prior years. Some nights were still louder than expected; he committed to continuing the conversation ahead of next summer.

Picture House: he stated his intent to remain a financial sponsor and to protect budget support in legislative items, noting he has funded the Picture House every year of his tenure. A board member noted that free Tuesday senior movies had previously been sponsored by a utility now funding other priorities.

Free movies for seniors: roughly 30 free screenings running September through June, Tuesdays at the Picture House, open to all seniors including Bronx and Westchester residents. The board was invited to suggest additional senior-day programming.

Legislative season: he said he was there to keep lines open ahead of the January session, having already begun documenting school district needs, and hoped to return after the November elections.

9/11 ceremony: the Supervisor described the 25th anniversary ceremony as "tremendous," with a committee assembled and a plaque installed at the memorial that a former supervisor had specifically wanted; board members contributed toward it. Every elected official in the community attended, with a musical tribute and family members recognized. Still outstanding: two residents who later died of 9/11-related illness were recognized at the ceremony, but how they will be memorialized at the site has not been settled.

In memoriam: the board acknowledged the passing of a community member active in middle and high school civics programs and the Rooster Club. The name is not clear enough on this recording to publish — see the official minutes.

Business survey: a council member circulated a survey for Pelham businesses, posted on the town website and shared with the Chamber of Commerce. It is open through October.

Budget timeline: department budgets are due to the budget officer and town clerk by September 30, with a working budget meeting on October 14.

The Supervisor opened the item by confirming the receiver resigned after accepting a job that did not allow her to hold public office, and said she had checked the position with the state association of towns' attorney. Under Town Law the Deputy Receiver assumes all responsibilities automatically — and continues to until someone is appointed or elected. A part-time employee covers when the deputy is out; a board member pressed on continuity of coverage and was told that gap is understood.

The referendum question: the Supervisor noted the deputy already performs nearly all the duties, while elected receivers have brought oversight rather than tax expertise, and asked whether the board should put a referendum to the town that would eliminate the elected office and make the position appointed by the board. Asked where oversight would then sit, she said with the supervisor and the controller, who already audit tax collections. The warrant process — warrants arriving from the school board, the villages and the county — was explained; collections are almost entirely electronic, with a very small share in cash.

Timing: the vacancy falls within three months of the election, so the seat cannot go on this November's ballot. An appointee would serve until the end of next year; an elected successor's term would begin January 2028; a referendum could go to voters next year, possibly alongside the election.

Next steps: the Supervisor proposed opening the appointment process to the public, as the board has done with other vacancies. A board member asked for research into towns that have no elected receiver and how they made the change, noting 19 area municipalities have an elected receiver and five do not. The deputy receiver was thanked for taking on more than the role normally requires. No motion was made and no vote taken — the full discussion was set for the October meeting.

It emerged that appointed Board of Assessment Review members have been receiving per-session stipends without any formal resolution authorizing the compensation. The money was budgeted; it was simply never separately resolved.

The figures: roughly $30 per session for members and $40 for the chair — $20 was also mentioned, and the exact amount is to be confirmed. Sessions are not fixed in length; there are about three morning and three evening sessions a year, averaging around $200 per member per year across five members, against a budget line first stated as $1,300 and corrected to $1,600. The board noted other towns cap technical board compensation annually, while recognition and library boards generally go uncompensated.

Outcome: compensation stays at existing budget levels, not to exceed $1,600. Resolution language was started but not completed, and the item was deferred to October so the per-session figures can be confirmed and written in properly. No formal vote was recorded.

Race approval: use of town space and facilities for the 2026 half-marathon, 10K and Kids 1K. The sponsoring association's name is not clear on the recording. Moved and seconded; no tally recorded.

Controller compensation: the controller is taking on budget officer duties this year. The resolution authorized a budget transfer moving funds already budgeted for the manager position into the personal services / controller line — a reallocation, not new spending. Moved and seconded; no tally recorded.

Budget transfer: approximately $1,900 moved between judicial and tax-collecting line items so spending stays within allocations. Moved and seconded; no tally recorded.

Minutes: prior meeting minutes presented with no corrections, moved, seconded, "all in favor" called, and approved.

The new town website soft-launched about a week before the meeting, with thanks to the Town Clerk's office. The homepage was reorganized around frequently used services, and a new page under "Community" features the 9/11 Memorial with photos from the ceremony; video from the anniversary ceremony is still to be uploaded. The board described it as a continuing improvement process rather than a finished project.

Opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call recorded Supervisor Theresa Mohan (chair), Maura Curtin, Kristen Burke and Kara McLoughlin. Councilman Michael Jenks delivered the library report later in the meeting.

Resident Edward Filby, Chester Park: Commended the board for commissioning the facilities study, then urged that an acoustical engineer be engaged for the meeting room. Separately raised the absence of an elevator, citing ADA compliance and mobility needs of both staff and the public, and warned the board it must either commit to never using the second floor or find a way to make it reachable.

Board response: An acoustical engineer will be brought in; the plan includes acoustic boards between the panels, an acoustical back wall and sound-deadening flooring. On the elevator — "not off the table," but the originally proposed location would have cost over $600,000. The preliminary plan is to relocate all public-facing services to the first floor; second-floor use remains undetermined.

July 2026: 96 total calls — 46 in the Town/Village of Pelham, 39 in Pelham Manor. Average response time 5.4 min; on-scene 16.7 min; transport 12.9 min. Mutual aid: 11 responses out, 9 received.

Finances: Revenues outpacing expenditures; ambulance revenue at 65% of annual budget as of August; fuel expenses up 40% since March. New ambulance expected end of August.

NY State EMS sustainability law: Took effect December 2025, refined by implementing legislation March 2026. Recognizes EMS as an essential public service and requires every county to produce a long-term EMS sustainability plan with municipalities, providers and hospitals. Westchester County will lead that effort — a shift from municipality-by-municipality planning to a countywide model, and one the board expects to bring additional funding to Pelham's program.

The town website overhaul is underway with no firm timeline ("soon-ish"). Action item flagged: do not interrupt Recreation Department fall sign-ups during the transition, and improve the Recreation landing page, which is currently hard to find from the town site.

New court clerk Bruno Barbosa started August 3, covering both vehicle & traffic and criminal dockets alongside existing clerks. No court sessions that week, allowing a phased start.

Glover: Another meeting was convened with local municipalities and the school; the town is still waiting on a meeting with the Commissioner from Mount Vernon.

Parking: The facilities study covered the parking area. A $30,000 EV charger grant remains available if spaces are added, though previously identified electrical capacity constraints still apply.

Incidents: EMS responded to a medical emergency at the library in July with a positive outcome; the library thanked Pelham Manor PD and Pelham EMS. Heavy July rain brought water into the basement near IT equipment — no damage, but a close call. The library served as a cooling center during early-July power outages.

July engagement: 5,207 door count, 69 programs, 1,412 attendees.

Summer Reading: 260 children signed up, 37,101 minutes read collectively; 35 ice cream certificates, 41 pizza, 57 cookie. An app goal-reset issue has been fixed; the program is open to adults too.

Puzzle race: The first-ever event sold out. Plans call for 2–4 per year.

Camps: Final week of summer camp, at record attendance despite 90°+ heat, thunderstorms, hail, flooding and poor air quality.

Upcoming: Soccer and tennis clinics the weeks of August 10, 17, 24 and 31 (sign-up on the website). Cheerleading and football registration open. After-school registration opens end of August.

Summer concerts: Aug 3 — 8th Avenue Live; Aug 10 — The Truth (and They Don't Bend It); Aug 17 — The Book Ends; Aug 24 — Philip James Orchestra; Aug 31 — Jackie DiMaggio. Sponsors thanked: Rockwells, Meridian and the Gallo Family Trust.

Seniors at Doty: Exercise Tue/Thu 10–11am; yoga Fri 10–11am; Glover Field Walking Wednesdays 10–11am (weather permitting); arts & crafts first Thursday 1–3pm; mahjong lessons (55+) Wed 12:30–1:30pm; card playing Mon 2–3:30pm and Wed/Fri 12–3pm; bingo 2–3pm. Next field trip: Mohegan Sun.

PelhamTogether intern Kate McGovern was welcomed to the meeting.

Town Clerk relocation: The Town Clerk's office has moved to the first floor of Town Hall, and a phone has been installed at the entrance so visitors can call for assistance rather than climbing two flights of stairs — a change under discussion since January. Supervisor Mohan noted residents previously had to climb two flights to collect a handicap permit, "insurmountable in some cases," and thanked the Deputy Town Clerk for agreeing to relocate.

Hallway lighting: Eight new hallway lights are needed, ~$1,800 total including bulbs, selected with the architects and chosen to suit anticipated future building changes.

Iron Mountain: The Town Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk are reviewing stored records, have identified boxes eligible for destruction, and are pricing the most cost-effective disposal method.

The handbook rewritten in April 2026 carried two errors this resolution corrects. Personal leave: the new handbook never specified a number of days; the prior handbook gave 2, and that entitlement is restored. Sick leave: the new 8-day-with-carryover policy was unpopular with staff, so the town reverts to the prior 12 days with no carryover. Supervisor Mohan described the omission as "an oversight on my part."

Result: approved unanimously.

Quotes from alternative vendors ran $20,000–$30,000 and were judged exorbitant. The town instead negotiated added modules and cloud hosting with its current provider. The upgrade brings a budgeting module, cash reconciliation, cleaner financial reporting, monthly budget reporting to departments, better mid-year tracking, and remote access that no longer requires being physically in Town Hall.

Cost: ~$4,000 one-time this year; ongoing annual cost rises from ~$3,000 to ~$7,000.

Result: approved unanimously.

Minutes: July 13, 2026 minutes approved as amended, clarifying the Booktemberfest ticket sale date versus the event itself — confirmed as October 3, 5–8pm.

Acknowledgment: The council marked the passing of William Clements, who served on the Town's Assessment Board of Review for over 20 years, extending condolences to his children David and Sarah and his three grandchildren.

Adjournment: The board adjourned to executive session for personnel matters. The recording ends shortly after.

Board goal adopted: "Together the Board and Superintendent will support the continued enhancement of student outcomes as well as deepen community understanding of the value provided by the Pelham Public Schools." Two objectives sit under it — building on the district's culture of educational excellence, and demonstrating the schools' value to the broader community — across three work areas: internal and external communication, finances, and data and student learning. The data strand emphasizes growth over time rather than achievement levels alone, tracking state graduation-requirement changes through NY Inspires and Portrait of a Graduate, and a forward-thinking approach to AI and student screen time.

New board charter: Drafted at the summer retreat around listening to different perspectives, assuming positive intent, arriving prepared, disagreeing respectfully and addressing issues directly. It is not a required document and will be revisited periodically for self-reflection.

U.S. News rankings: The State Education Department did not authorize release of AP participation and performance data to U.S. News, affecting high-performing districts across New York. Pelham's ranking dropped as a result — not, the Board President stressed, because AP participation or performance changed, but because a critical piece of data was missing. She called this year's ranking an inaccurate comparative picture and said the district's focus remains on actual student experiences, growth, opportunities and outcomes.

Calendar: A two-day administrative retreat beginning August 27 on the theme "Systems of Support for All Learners" — widened from last year's "All Students" to include staff. New Teacher Orientation September 1; Superintendent's Conference Days September 2–3 covering MTSS, ethical and developmentally appropriate instructional technology, and preparing graduates for life after school. Students return September 8, the day after Labor Day: a half day for K–6, phased and staggered starts by grade for middle and high school. Annual board facilities tours begin at the elementary schools to view summer roofing work and end at the high school on Freshman/Parent Orientation Night.

Reporting change: Cabinet members will continue submitting written reports and memos; Dr. Champ will summarize highlights publicly, with follow-up questions directed to individual cabinet members. The approach will be trialed over several meetings.

Staffing: An elementary teacher at Hutchinson was appointed district Mentor Teacher, succeeding Miss Connelly, who moved to Assistant Principal at the Middle School. Resignations included a late Social Studies retirement; a nurse opening and other vacancies were being filled with the goal of being fully staffed for day one. A separate Equipment Manager role was created, one per athletic season — the combined Athletic Scheduler/Equipment Manager model proved unworkable — funded by reallocation within the existing athletics budget, and expected to pay for itself through tighter inventory control.

Enrollment: Elementary rosters opened electronically August 28, with section sizes monitored closely to stay within budgeted allocations.

Central air at Colonial, Prospect Hill and Siwanoy remains scheduled as a 2027 capital project. As a stop-gap, portable and window units were installed over the summer — 4 at Prospect Hill, 4 at Siwanoy, 8 at Colonial, the Colonial allocation completing classroom spaces and the nurse's office on the main floor. Basements were excluded as they run 5–10 degrees cooler on hot days.

The PTA Council approved the fundraising process on August 25 and letters were going out to families; the district procured the units up front to secure consistent models, correct BTU ratings and better pricing, with the PTAs reimbursing. Facilities staff Jim and John Condon were credited for delivering. Dr. Champ framed the goal plainly: "This should really position us so that we don't have to close school for heat again" — a reference to the early dismissal that prompted parents to speak at the June 24 meeting.

Repurposing: Once the elementary schools have central air, the window units move to the high school, which was not included in the capital projects for HVAC. "It may not be the most elegant solution, but it's functional."

Digital registration: Conversion covered the 5th→6th and 8th→9th grade transitions. As of August 25, 88% of incoming 6th grade and 83% of incoming 9th grade applications were received and complete, with 20 or fewer outstanding to be handed to individual buildings at the start of school.

Screen time / EdTech guidelines: Drafted over the summer on an intentional-use framework distinguishing active, educational technology use from passive use. Feedback runs through the administrator retreat and Conference Days, then the Personal Growth & Achievement Committee in early September, with a full board presentation on October 7 and a parent session to follow. Trustee Kathryn Cohen urged proactive outreach to preschool-age families, who in other districts have been the most vocal while having the least familiarity with how technology is actually used in schools. Context cited: screen time rose sharply during the pandemic, New York's grades 3–8 assessments are computer-based, and the district must teach the K–12 State Digital Literacy Standards. A board member noted the earlier AI guidelines parent meeting went unrecorded — "a lesson learned" — and asked that any screen time session be recorded.

Title IX: A public-facing Title IX webpage is being finalized as a single place for policies, procedures, contacts and the required complaint form, alongside an internal employee portal on the Frontline platform.

Meeting dates (5.1): Work sessions revert to a 7:00 PM start from 7:30 as a courtesy to staff who attend; the February 10 executive session for 10-year reviews starts at 6:00 PM. The board agreed to avoid adding executive session or business items to work session nights unless necessary.

Board goals (5.5): A member proposed adding explicit advocacy language — "leverage board advocacy opportunities and relationships to advance district priorities at the regional and state levels" — which was accepted, with a further suggestion that advocacy should also rally the community rather than the board alone.

Finances (5.7–5.9): Treasurer's reports for the periods ending May 31 and June 30, 2026 were presented; the overnight interest rate at June 30 was 3.5%, with the market split on direction. A 2025–26 budget transfer was requested in anticipation of a special settlement whose status is unknown — if not expensed the funds flow to fund balance, and if a settlement occurs next year it will be appropriated from fund balance then.

Safety plan (5.10): State law requires an approved district-wide safety plan by September 1. The 30-day public comment period was satisfied and no comments were received.

Policies: Policy 6110, the Code of Ethics, was retained as last adopted on annual review. The 2026–27 Code of Conduct was adopted unchanged after its public reading drew no feedback, to be posted on the district website and included in student handbooks, with an in-depth review targeted at the Policy Committee by roughly April.

Thought Exchange survey: The Superintendent circulated a survey to capture outstanding "parking lot" items, using a tool that generates AI follow-up questions. Five respondents are needed for synthesized results and only three board members had completed it. Members noted some AI-generated follow-ups solicited strategy-level answers outside the board's scope; the Superintendent acknowledged the experimental use.

Personnel (7.1–7.4): Six-period assignment overages; contractual stipends spanning curriculum coordinators, scheduling assistants, elementary teachers-in-charge, school culture coaches, team leaders and clubs from drama to yearbooks to STEAM coaching; lunch duty coverage; coaching appointments; substitutes. A leave-replacement library teaching assistant was appointed and a teacher transferred from Hutchinson to Prospect Hill. A new payroll clerk was appointed after the district ran roughly five months without one, with Jim covering payroll in the interim.

Advocacy — Trustee Kathryn Cohen reported on five meetings in a month. Aug 3: a session with the State Department of Public Service on the electric school bus mandate, covering implementation and grid challenges; the region will be notified when the formal public comment period opens, and DPS staff want to hear directly from superintendents about local impact. Aug 11: meetings with Congressman Latimer's office on IDEA funding — a proposed "40 by 40" campaign to raise the federal contribution to the originally authorized 40% by 2040, never fully funded since 1975 — plus career and technical education. Aug 24: a first regional advocacy meeting where EdTech and Universal Pre-K emerged as the top shared concerns. Aug 25: a steering committee meeting and a 30-minute introduction with the Governor's new Deputy Secretary of Education, whose stated interests are literacy standards and the Universal Pre-K rollout; the region raised Universal Pre-K staffing requirements and a request for further guidance on New York Inspires.

The board adjourned the business meeting to executive session, stating on return that the purpose had been discussion of the particular record of a student. It then voted unanimously to deny Student Transportation Appeal 2026–2027 #01, with the district to contact the appellant about the decision, and adjourned.

Opened as the last Business Meeting of the 2025–26 school year, with the Pledge of Allegiance. Trustee Will Treves noted the board had met in executive session beforehand to discuss the employment history of a particular person. Board President Jackie De Angelis was absent; Vice President Natalie Marrero presided at her request, congratulating recent graduates and thanking students, families, teachers, administrators and support staff.

Return on investment: The district performs at roughly the 95th percentile statewide while spending sits at the 44th percentile — the metric Dr. Champ highlighted for taxpayers. Graduation rate 100% (99th percentile); math and ELA both 92nd percentile; elementary science 98th.

Recognition: AP Honor Roll and U.S. News rankings; Emily Walch named a Regeneron STS Scholar; Finn Mullon ranked 11th in the nation in Speech and Debate; awards for the yearbook and the Sock N' Buskin theater program. 63 students received the Seal of Civic Readiness at graduation, the program's third year.

Strategic "big rocks": Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) as the largest districtwide focus; ethical AI leadership, with faculty guidelines rolled out this spring and student AI guidelines due fall 2026; and the New York Inspires initiative — Regents exams remain required under current regulations, with firmer state guidance expected in one to two years.

Curriculum: Earth Science Regents replaced with full NGSS for all 8th graders; OpenSci implementation continues; state-required Financial Literacy and Environmental Literacy to be embedded over the summer; a Local History Initiative under Dr. Shord, funded by a PEF grant and tied to the nation's 250th anniversary, lands in fall 2026.

All staff were trained in the CASEL framework this year, treated as an introductory year, with SEL embedded in new teacher orientation and two late-start professional learning mornings. An MTSS SEL committee coordinated by Tracy applied the tier structure to SEL — Tier 1 for roughly 80% of students, Tier 2 for 15%, Tier 3 for 5% — and drafted a potential district SEL plan.

Pilot inconclusive: This spring's curriculum pilot ran only four to five weeks. Dr. Comerford reported many positives but no full consensus, citing the rushed timeline; a vendor meeting was set for the following week and a deeper, longer pilot planned for 2026–27.

Grant ending: The RECOVS grant through BOCES, described as critical this year for coaching and professional learning, is ending; BOCES continues as a fee-based partner while the district looks for replacement grants.

Other: "We Are Pelham" 5th Grade Edition ran at Hutchinson on PEF funding, with a third year covered and district budgeting required after that; Tracy secured a grant for communication boards at each elementary school; the high school's digital device ban, in line with the Governor's new law, produced a definite improvement in building climate; 13% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch, and state-funded universal meals drove an ~85% increase in breakfast participation.

Summer work at Colonial and Prospect Hill: Roofing, piping in preparation for HVAC conversion, window caulking replacement and limited asbestos-related work, with second-shift piping during the school year coordinated to stay away from students.

HVAC: The major conversion delivering central air comes Summer 2027, estimated at $15 million for the central air installation, with masonry and window work alongside. Window units remain in the interim.

Siwanoy: Plans go to the State this summer, bidding in fall, construction beginning in spring. The last community session on June 15 drew about 20 attendees with positive feedback.

Security: A $1.3M security camera grant (credited in the meeting to Senator Biaggi) is being implemented with KG&D architects and A Plus Contractors, expanding camera coverage and upgrading access controls. Consultant Tom Drake of Altiris remains full-time; the district hit 100% compliance on required drills and used its reunification protocols in a few real-life situations, debriefing after each.

Finance: Budget approval came in at 75%, up 14 points and a return to traditional levels, achieved within the tax cap but requiring roughly $2M in reductions. The audit found no material weaknesses and no significant deficiencies. Forty policies were addressed this year, with Sidney Burke credited for leading the policy committee.

Ashley Mills, 215 Loring, parent of three Colonial students, thanked Dr. Champ for engaging by email and acknowledged the district is in a "tight spot," appreciating "mindfulness of taxpayer dollars" — but asked for an interim solution for classrooms that already have electrical capacity: "the teachers are dripping, the students are dripping… they're in the library, like they're not getting real work done."

A second Colonial parent described the same conditions and asked for interim cooling in time for fall 2026.

Concetta Eudicone, 129 Corlies Avenue, incoming Colonial PTA president, endorsed prioritizing rooms already wired and laid out the building's disadvantages: brick construction, no tree cover, a large asphalt area at the rear, single-pane windows and blaring afternoon sun on the back of the school. She cited a second-grade room off the playground a teacher had called "unbearable" in late August, reported 3–4 teachers flagging heat in a PTA survey, and asked for a solution ahead of September 2026, offering PTA and parent help. She introduced herself as the new point of contact between teachers, parents and administration.

Dr. Champ's response: Top floors already have window units and bottom floors stay cooler; the middle level, especially the front of Colonial, "bakes all day." The constraint is electrical — an AC unit big enough to cool a room draws too many BTUs for existing classroom hookups, and the district spent much of last summer wiring rooms and building frames for the oversized windows. It is now assessing which rooms have capacity and what the rest would cost. The state threshold is 88°F, at which students cannot remain; middle-level Colonial rooms were nearly there Thursday and did not cool overnight, so school was dismissed early Friday — a problem shared across older Westchester buildings that day. Parents at Colonial and Siwanoy offered to donate or fundraise for units, but the capacity assessment has to come first. Full AC is confirmed for Summer 2027, with construction starting summer 2026.

Capital Bond Steering Committee: Proposition 1 work begins this summer; bid results came in favorable, "a nice way to start a project," with vendor contracts being finalized. Asbestos and hazardous material abatement notices were posted at Prospect Hill and Colonial as a pre-notification requirement — no abatement while students are present.

SHPO on Siwanoy: The State Historic Preservation Office advised that windows on the new addition should not match the existing ones, to avoid implying the addition is original. The architect prepared alternatives, but the committee preferred the original matching design out of respect for the roughly 100-year-old building, reasoning that the heavily glazed connector already makes the addition clearly distinguishable. Dr. Champ and the architect will draft the response.

Audit and Finance: The committee met the morning of June 24 with three board members, two community members and the external auditor. Partner Scott Oling began preliminary field work that day, returning in two weeks for the year-end audit. Two new GASB pronouncements affect the MD&A section and require budget-to-actual variance analysis in the annual report. The internal auditor is finishing work on food services, tuition billing and a risk assessment. The claims auditor RFP drew one response, with a recommendation due at the next board meeting.

BAN sale: A $30.5M one-year Bond Anticipation Note sold at a net interest cost of 2.644% against a budgeted 3.25% estimate from Capital Markets Advisors — "very positive results" with "a nice grouping of bidders." Interest falls in the 2026–27 budget cycle. The district still expects a fund balance drawdown at year end.

Special education: The department runs 700–800 CSE/IEP meetings a year. The MTSS SEL subcommittee met monthly from October through June, moving from siloed chapters toward an integrated support plan, with tiers, entry/exit criteria and interventions now defined and a screener pilot on the Branching Minds platform continuing. Professional development under the ending grant covered CASEL, Restorative Practices and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Inclusion work was credited across the district, with special education teachers and related service providers called "silent heroes."

Human resources: Most positions for next year are filled, with a handful of partial-year leave replacements still open over the summer — harder to fill because candidates prefer longer terms. The APP Task Force could not find a common June meeting time and resumes in September, targeting State submission in March; the plan requires negotiation with both the teachers and administrator unions. The district completed a full year of paperless attendance.

Facilities (Jim, Assistant Superintendent): A $430,000 budget amendment funded from tax certiorari settlements during the school year; summer transportation for Extended School Year programs; agreements with Educational Data Services for bidding services and Emblem Health for insurance; and a $593,000 tax certiorari reserve fund for Assessment Year 2025, sized to known claims at the prudent lower estimate on the tax attorney's advice.

Item 5.1 (next meeting dates) and Items 5.2–5.15 (Royal Coach Lines transportation contracts, Emblem Health, 2025–26 budget transfers, the tax certiorari reserve, the $430,000 budget increase, EBALR and retirement contribution reserve appropriations, and five-year use schedules for the retirement, TRS and debt service funds) each passed unanimously.

Policies 6.1–6.6 were adopted on second reading with the third reading waived — 3311 employee disciplinary record disclosures, 5672 information security breach notification, 7240 student records access and challenge, 7242 military recruiters, 7260 designation of person in parental relation, and 7580 safe public school choice. Sidney Burke noted no public comments had been received. Policy 7241 additionally requires an accompanying regulation of about 11 pages; regulations do not need board approval, and Valerie and staff will develop a system to catalog them.

Personnel items 7.1–7.4 (Schedules A, B and C instructional, and Schedule C non-instructional) and Item 8.1 (Schedule D, Committee on Special Education, confidential) passed unanimously. No new business was raised and no further public comment was offered. The meeting adjourned at 1:23:53 with an acknowledgment of Natalie Marrero for presiding.