Legislative Action Committee Meeting Minutes

 

Meeting Called to order at 7:35 P.M.
Salute to the Flag
Moment of Silence.
Absent members      Nicholas Antonucci, Social Studies Teacher Sachem
East
                                 Damon Gallo, Social Studies Teacher
Sachem East
                                 Elizabeth Gutmann, Social Studies Teacher Sachem North
                                 Jim LaCarrubba, Business Agent
                                 Kate Long, Social Studies Teacher,
Sachem East
                                 Bob Rahim, Student, Sachem H.S. North
                                 Vinny Squillace, Student Sachem H.S.
East
                                 Mary Sullivan, Registered Nurse
                                 Sal Tripi, Director of Operations
                                 Patrick Whelan, Student Sachem North

Present Members     Sue Brandes, PTA Member
                                 Michael Buffoleno, PTA Member
                                 Fred Coste, Insurance Agency Owner
                                 William Feehan, Sales Manager
                                 Gregg Freedner, Lake Ronkonkoma Cikvic
Org. Officer
                                Corey Goodermote, Student Govt &

Student Leadership Student
                                 Edward Hoffman, Business Manager
                                 Kevin L. Hyms, Sachem North PTA

President, Civic Leader
                                 Shawn Hyms, Student Sachem North
                                 Sandra M. Jones, LI Developmental

Disabilities Svcs Office, Director
                                 Ian Kolker, Market Manager,Chairperson

State Legislative Action Committee
                                 Donna Laks, Parent,  Registered

Dietitian
                                 Linda Lunger, Director Clinical @ UICP,

Physical Therapist Committee Secretary
                                 Dana Platin, Pre-school teacher SEPTA

President
                                 Terry Sherwood, Parent
                                 Sonya Stahlbush, Teacher, Sachem

Advisory Board Member
                                 Robert Szewczuk, Operations Manager
                                 Ally Tooulias, Student Sachem East
                                 Edward Wozencroft, Student, Sachem North
                                 Eileen Young, Casework Supervisor
Suffolk County Dept. of Soc. Svcs.

Opening comments by Debbie Slinkosky, School Board Member

Welcomed newcomers
Re stated goals of the Legislative Action Committee
Left at 7:50 P.M. to attend Scheduled Sachem School Board Meeting at Sagamore Middle School

Chairperson Sal Nicosia
Thanked committee members for being part of this endeavor

8:00 P.M.,     Members divided into the three subcommittees    Federal 
State   and Local Government for purposes of establishing goals and  Sachem
School District needs to function  safely and financially sound.

9:00 P.M. Members of the three committees re-assembled to share results
of their deliberations.

Federal Level Committee
Reported  the were examining the No Child Left Behind Act, Federal Grants, IDEA, Health and Safety mandate (EAB).


Questions:   What are these acts costing Sachem?
What  kind of Federal support is Sachem S.D. getting to carry out the No
Child Left Behind Act. Can we get to meet with Secretary of Education (How,
When, Why, Where).

Plan to Meet with Supt of Business Bruce Singer before next meeting.
Federal Tax Incentives for Seniors who could earn incentives by helping in school districts with tutorial services, etc.

How can we get more of our school district voters to vote in the Budget Vote held in May?

State Level Committee

1.Getting the Facts
        a. Yearly aid from State
        b. Costs of unfunded mandates
        c. What is formula of Aid
        d. Property Tax dollars collected from Business and Residential sources
2. Plan to meet with Supt of Business Bruce Singer before next meeting.

Local Level Committee
Educating Community re Child care available
Checking into Grants, Arts in Education
Safety Issues
Sequoya Middle School Zone    Speeding on Waverly Avenue, Lack of enough signs to indicate school zone

Stop and Speed Signs

Get out the Vote, have each member become active in this endeavor and to facilitate getting others to do the same.  Low turnout of voters does not present an empowered community to State Officials to heed our concerns.

Chairperson's Input
Gave a report on Legislative Breakfast meeting held on Saturday, February 11th, 2006 at Longwood H.S.

 

Coalition of School Districts in Attendance: Center Moriches, Longwood, Patchogue-Medford, BOCES Eastern Suffolk, Southold, Middle Country, Sachem, Connetquot, Riverhead, Shoreham Wading River, Eastport-Southmanor, Three Village C.S.D.    Superintendents of Schools, School Board members, and interested citizens were in attendance.

 

Government Officials included : Congressman Timothy Bishop of the first C.D., A representative for Steven Israel of the 2nd C.D.  State Senators  Kenneth LaValle, a representative of John Flanagan, a representativeof Caesar Trunzo,  State Assembly persons, Marc Alessi, of the First A.D., Fred Thiele of the 2nd A.D. a represenative of the 3rd A.D. John Eddington husband of Patricia Eddington, Steven Engelbright of the 4th A.D. , Ginny Fields of the Fifth A.D. and Michael Fitzpatrick of the7th A.D.  The tenor the meeting was intensive. Many questions were posed
to the representatives and concerns were expressed about the dire circumstances facing each School District with regarding to keeping taxes down and paying for the large increase in costs of Health Benefits and Employee Retirement funding. We need to encourage a significant voter turnout in the May Budget vote to let our representatives in Albany realize that our community ability to pay for the education of our children needs more not less funding from their State Budget.  

We will be inviting State Legislators to our April Meeting. The State Legislative Committee is preparing letters of invitation at this time.

Eliot Spitzer will be letting us know three weeks before our scheduled May Committee Meeting as to when he can meet with us. We plan to invite the coalition schools to that meeting.  We also have invited Mr. Suozzi to meet
us since he has declared his intention to run for Governor. Mr. Faso has just declared himself as a candidate for Governor on the Republican Ticket. We plan to invite him to one of our meetings.  In June, we plan to invite
Congressmen Bishop and Israel to our schedule meeting.

 

Submitted by
Sal Nicosia
Chairperson    02-22-06