The meeting began with a summar of the required annual financial audit of the Newburgh School District by Mark Levy, CPA.

Mr. Levy covered the numbers very quickly, and offered no handouts to the audience. Mr. Levy had given a more comprehensive report to the Board of Education at a finance committee meeting earlier in the day. However, the Board of Ed felt it best to have that presentation in an Executive Session which the public could not attend. Mr. Levy mentioned "excess revenue" in the amount of $6.7 million.

Superintendent Saturnelli said that Copies of the the audit can be viewed in the Newburgh School District Clerk's office.

The next part of the meeting was very educational. Superintendent Saturnelli said that some individual rersidents did get a tax increase despite the fact that the budget resulted in very close to zero increase in the funds raised by taxes, and that several guests were at the meeting who could help to explain how that happens.

Among the visitors were 39th District State Senator William Larkin, and the assessors for the Town of Newburgh, City of Newburgh, and Town of New Windsor.

John Wolham of the New York State Office of Real Property Services presented information about how tax rates are determined by applying an "equalization rate" to the total assessed value of the different municipalities over which the Newburgh School District has taxing authority. This has to be done because the municipalities each assess property at different rates. This year the equalization rates were influenced by the reassessment of City of Newburgh property, which caused a significant drop in its total assessed value.

Mr. Wolham said that the state imposed equalization rate is a "poor substitute for fairness". He also argued that reassessment leads to greater fairness because actual value is determined, and that in aggregate reassessments are revenue neutral.

A question was asked about mandating reassessments (the Towns of Newburgh and New Windsor have not reassessed in quite some time). Senator Larkin explained that the legislature has tried, however only the municipalities have the authority to do them. The cost is often claimed as burdensome. Larkin pointed out that there is a very large amount, $552 billion, of tax expempt property statewide. He mentioned the Dynegy situation which resulted in a huge tax impact on Marlboro, where there are now many properties up for sale, and that in Poughkeepsie 50% of properties are effectively off the roles. He said consolidation is something these hard hit municipalities need to consider.

A question was aked about what could be done to reduce the many "unknowns" (equalization rate, assesment, aid, taxes other than property) when the school budget is presented, so that the public could have a better sense of the budget impact.

Larkin made the point that the state aid numbers are known at that time. The state intentionally schedules announcement of aid numbers so that budgets can be developed based on them.

Steve Reulke, the Assessor for the City of Newburgh then explained the City's reassessment. They looked at 7000 parcels; and the re-eval cost $530k. He said the goal was to reduce the "coefficient of dispersion" which is a measurement of how far assessed values vary from true value. Reulke explained th e flaw in the reasoning of a recent newspaper report, which failed to consider that in the City of Newburgh a property assessed at $200k is likely to have a lower assessment this year. He said the average decline was %17.

The meeting proceeded per the agenda.

During the committee reports Board Member Poppitte said that as a result of the annual audit they there is an increase the fund balance in the amount of $6.7 million. The cap of 4% is being approached, currently at 3.7%.

During the administrator reports Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Leimer said that the NTA and HR are working on a seniority list (for use in determining extended school year appointments); they have started to meet with the administrative bargaining unit; and HR is meeting to revise the evaluation tool for administrators.

Assistant Superintendent of Student Intervention and Support Services Noriega reported that DINI and SINI status letters were going out over the coming two weeks, and SES letters were going to parents this week.

During the public comment period Cynthia Fountain requested improvements in provision of handicapped parking places.

Wanda Cantorel, a teacher at Temple Hill said that the school is now bursting at the seams, classes are being conducted in the library, and classes are being shuffled between rooms. She said the establishment of routines is important to classroom management and thinks there should be a simpler solution to the space management problem.

Felicia DeFranco a parent at Temple Hill did an excellent job of expressing her concerns about discipline problems there, specifically fights in hallways. She said she was concerned about safety and the establishment of a positive learning environment. She requsted the Board to address the problem.

According to the meeting minutes, the Board was in executive session from 9:25 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. and the meeting reconvened at 11:30 p.m. The Board unanimously approved the creation of two Teaching Assistant positions and approved two teachers "for SAT Prep Course" with all in favor except Board Member DeMarco.