approval for the use of the $1.6MM in reserve funds. One option was to include the $1.6MM sum as part of the regular operating budget proposal for 2005-06. Another option was to identify the use of these reserve funds as a separate proposition, alongside the school budget vote. After intense consideration, the Board decided to take the latter approach. Therefore, District voters will see two propositions on

May 17—one for the basic operating budget, and another for the use of $1.6MM from reserves to complete the Athletic Facilities Project. The importance of helping voters to understand the reasoning behind these steps, and the fact that the use of reserves will not impact the tax rate, was much discussed.

Classroom & Core Facilities Project
One other piece of business, related to the larger facilities project, was also accomplished on March 29, when the Board rejected all of the mechanical bids on the Classroom and Core Space Project soon to begin at the high school. This rejection of bids was due to an error in the specifications; the mechanical bids will be immediately re-advertised and re-bid.

APRIL 5 BOARD MEETING
BHTA Contract Renewal
With leadership of the Byram Hills Teachers Association in attendance, the Board approved a four-year agreement to extend the teachers’ contract. The parties agreed that the new contract addresses the needs of the school community as identified by the Board of Education in their goals for prudent management of the District’s long-term fiscal needs, and for recruitment and retention of excellent faculty. It also addressed the hopes of the faculty for competitive compensation in our region of high-achieving school districts.

Classroom/Core Facilities Project
Consultants from Triton Construction were in attendance to make bid recommendations on the high school portion

of the $47MM project approved by the voters in May 2004. Bids were recommended and accepted in three of the four areas—general construction, electrical, plumbing—totaling $10,650,000. With mechanical construction out for re-bidding, Triton was still able to predict that the high school portion of the project would come in well within budget.

There was other good news on the project schedule, which is ahead of its original timetable. Construction mobilization will soon be in evidence at the high school, with kitchen renovations to begin even before school is out. Work will intensify over the summer of 2005, continue all through the 2005-06 school year, and should be complete by August 2006.

Athletic Facilities Project
Turning again to the Athletic Facilities Project which had been examined in great detail on March 29, the Board reviewed potential “value engineering” items within the project—possible savings to be attained by the use of alternate materials or construction techniques, while not reducing the scope of the project. After extensive discussion, the Board determined that these value engineering items, even taken as a whole, would not have a substantive impact on all costs. A few value engineering items were accepted, while others were tagged for bidding as possible alternates. Triton Construction will now re-bid the remaining parts of the Athletic Facilities Project, both in hopes of an advantageous bidding climate aided by the high school classroom construction, and in hopes that bid awards could be made after May 17 voter authorization.

Budget Hearing IV
Deliberations on the 2005-06 budget continued, with the Board returning to specific questions raised in recent meetings. The most significant of

these questions was around the transportation budget, where discussion centered on whether to add additional monies to expand the bus fleet and the number of drivers. After consideration, no change was made in the proposed budget for 2005-06, but Board members indicated a desire to push these transportation questions toward the top of their agenda in the new school year for a careful study, including public input.

Other questions were addressed, but again without a change in the bottom line of the budget proposal, which still stands at a total of $59,467,000, or an 8% spending increase, for the new school year. At its meeting of April 12, the Board will finalize the budget proposal along with the estimated tax rates, and that proposal will be communicated to the District’s households in a detailed mailing. The budget vote, which will include propositions on both the operating budget and the use of $1.6MM from reserves to complete the Athletic Facilities Project, will be May 17.

Other Business: Bond Savings
The Board also heard some further good news from Assistant Superintendent Greg Carlson concerning the prospect of savings amounting to $1.2MM through the refinancing of existing bond obligations at more favorable rates. Mr. Carlson expects to make a detailed recommendation on this topic before the end of the school year, at which time the Board may have an opportunityto begin replenishing some of the reserves to be used for the Athletic Facilities Project. Mr. Carlson identified those reserves as important to the District’s bond rating, which stands as one of the most favorable among all school districts in NYS.

The Board adjourned for an executive session on five personnel matters.