The St. Johnsville Board of Education has a new president, Chris Mosher.
Mosher was unanimously elected to head up the school board Thursday night and will replace James Richard, who was elected to serve as the board’s vice president.
“I am up to the challenge and I am ready to fulfill my duties,” said Mohser, when asked by his fellow board members if he was ready to serve as board president during the coming school year.
“This is going to be a busy year and an interesting year,” said Richard.
Shared services with the Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School District will be among the first topics the board will tackle in the new school year. The boards of education from both school districts will hold a special meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Oppenheim-Ephratah school library.
Appointments made during Thursday’s organizational meeting included Libby Battisti as district clerk, Michelle Lansburg as district treasurer, Elizabeth Brown as claims auditor, Patricia Christensen as acting clerk of the board, Nan DeNinno as deputy treasurer, Tammy Madsen and Kathy Masi as attendance officers and Darren Bellen as legislative liaison. Lansburg was also appointed records management officer at a salary of $1,431. Rose Jubar was appointed tax collector, at an annual salary of $2,011, and Linda Morley was appointed internal auditor at a salary of $50 per hour.
NBT Bank of Canajoharie was designated as the district’s official depository and The Times was designated as the district’s official newspaper. The mileage reimbursement rate for individuals using their personal vehicles while performing official duties on behalf of the district was set at 51 cents per mile. The per diem wage for substitute teachers was set at $70 for certified teachers and $65 for uncertified teachers. Interim Superintendent Ralph Acquaro was authorized to certify payrolls, approve attendance to teachers’ conferences and to approve intrafund transfers.
The board established the fourth Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. as its meeting date and time.
“Holding the meeting at 7 p.m. should give parents and community members more of an opportunity to attend,” said Mosher, referencing the previous 6 p.m. start time. “Parents and residents won’t have to rush home from work to attend a board meeting.”
The meetings will be held in the library at St. Johnsville High School.
Petty cash funds in the amount of $100 for the high school, elementary school, elementary school lunch and high school lunch were established. Lansburg said the funds are reimbursed once a year.
The board also approved a $100,000 blanket bond for all district personnel.
In other business, Mohawk Dairy of Amsterdam was awarded the milk bid, Bimbo Bakeries was awarded the bread bid, Little Falls-Fond Bus Corporation was awarded the transportation bid.
Former superintendent of schools Christine Battisti was appointed data coordinator and grant writer. The position is up to 200 hours and carries a salary of $50 per hour. Jason Brundage was appointed morning and afternoon bus supervisor at a salary of $475 each and Mary Buddenhagen and Erica Fitzpatrick were appointed prom co-advisors at a salary of $500 each. Buddenhagen was appointed business club advisor and junior high National Honor Society advisor at a salary of $200 each and class of 2016 advisor at a salary of $275. Deborah Conte was appointed high school National Honor Society advisor at a salary of $200 and Fitzpatrick and Julie Taylor were appointed senior class co-advisors at a salary of $162.50 each.
St. Johnsville, N.Y. —
