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Palisades School District board meeting, Aug 19, 2026

2 h 00 min · 1 public speaker

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 2 h 00 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  10. Silvia LeblancPRESIDENT
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Palisades board votes 8⁠-⁠1 to prepare bond parameters resolution for September 56:16

  • The board voted 8⁠-⁠1 to authorize the proper officers to prepare a parameters resolution for a bond issue for the September 16th, 2026 regular board meeting. 56:16
  • The board also approved a 10-cent increase in the price of school lunches. 1:00:03
  • The board approved electrical change order EC-001 for the Palms Auditorium project 8⁠-⁠1 after board members questioned the cost tied to removing a hoist. 1:09:21
  • Board members discussed proposals for a personnel committee and a committee of the whole format, and the chair said no vote would be taken that night. 1:27:06
Item by item (14)
  1. Opening and announcements 0:03
    • The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a roll call of board members and the superintendent. 0:51
    • Silvia LeBlanc announced that board members held a retreat on August 6th, 2026, and that an executive session took place at 6:15 to discuss a student matter, a legal matter, and safety and security. 2:00
  2. Superintendent report 2:26
    • The superintendent reported on summer administrator retreat days, curriculum work, summer camps and technology department projects. 2:31
    • The superintendent said the superintendent traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for continuation of E-Rate funding at current levels. 3:17
    • The superintendent said the site Nook Local ranked Palisades 2nd of the 13 districts in Bucks County as a best value district measured by academics per tax dollar. 7:03
  3. Education and other committee reports 9:13
    • James Ott and Scott Freeman said the extracurricular and buildings and grounds committees would meet the following Wednesday. 9:13
    • Karen Beerer said the EPS committee recommended the 6th grade digital literacy plan course statement and an MOU with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit for Chief Science Officer's grant funding. 9:49
    • Karen Beerer said the main discussion at the committee was the middle school schedule, with communication as a strong theme. 9:49
  4. Fiscal Oversight Committee report 12:30
    • Saul Ramos said the committee recommends proceeding with 19-year level debt funding and reported that a hoist change for the Palms Auditorium will cost the school $24,022. 12:45
    • Saul Ramos reported the district is short $250,000 on health care at the consortium level and said the committee reviewed 4 bond scenarios with a projected funding of $5.75 million to cover capital projects. 16:13
    • James Ott asked about the auditorium hoist change order, and Saul Ramos said it had been sent to the solicitor for review. 24:43
  5. Policy committee and liaison reports 26:19
    • Silvia LeBlanc said Policy 816, the district social media policy, was updated to reflect new case law and would go to first read at the next meeting, and that the committee is making no changes to charter school transportation. 27:23
    • Silvia LeBlanc said the weapons policy was sent to the administration for review. 27:23
    • Cora Landis said there had been no JOC meeting since June, James Hallowell said the IU board approved a new chief financial officer, and Betsy Nilsen described a new PSBA guide, Essentials of School Finance. 32:01
  6. Public comment on action items 36:29
    • Silvia LeBlanc said no one signed up but opened public comment because of concerns about the sign-up process on the new site. 36:29
    • A speaker at public comment raised concerns about the cleaning services contractor for the technical school and asked the board to have its JOC representatives call for a revote. 38:18
  7. Consent agenda and annual appointments 41:25
    • The board took up the consent agenda, which included the June 17th, 2026 minutes, July and August financial reports and personnel recommendations. 41:25
    • The board also took up annual motions on compulsory attendance enforcement appointments and food service from Whitson's Nutrition LLC, along with a motion on a PESPA third-party vendor memorandum of understanding. 42:41
    • Several of the motions carried 9⁠-⁠0. 42:43
  8. Bond parameters resolution 47:29
    • The motion carried 8⁠-⁠1. 56:16
  9. Bank depositories and IDEA-B funds agreement 56:16
    • The board considered bank depositories for the 2026⁠-⁠2027 school year and the IDEA-B use of funds agreement. 56:16
    • Cora Landis asked for clarification on the IDEA-B agreement, and a speaker said it is an annual item agreeing to use IDEA funds for special education purposes. 58:00
    • Silvia LeBlanc said middle school and high school lunches would go from $3.25 to $3.35. 1:00:03
    • The depositories and the IDEA-B agreement carried 9⁠-⁠0, and the lunch price motion carried. 57:23
  10. Auditorium electrical change order 1:00:45
    • Cora Landis asked whether the solicitor had given guidance, and a speaker said it is not an E&O issue because the district is no worse off than had it accepted the alternative at the beginning. 1:01:36
    • Scott Freeman asked the cost of the hoist that was taken out, and Dr. James Ott said the district saved $100,000 but would spend an additional $24,000. 1:05:12
    • The motion carried 8⁠-⁠1. 1:09:21
  11. Sewage treatment plant change orders 1:09:21
    • The board considered sewage treatment plant change orders numbered 1, 2 and 4. 1:09:21
    • A speaker said the contractor did the change orders and brought them to the board after the fact. 1:11:37
    • Scott Freeman said the fiscal committee is not recommending approval of change order number 3. 1:13:19
    • The motion carried 9⁠-⁠0. 1:13:33
  12. Everdriven transportation contract 1:13:31
    • Silvia LeBlanc said the contract expires in 2029. 1:19:14
    • The motion carried 9⁠-⁠0. 1:20:50
  13. Personnel committee and committee structure 1:26:38
    • Karen Beerer raised the idea of a personnel committee that could take personnel items off the plates of other committees. 1:27:06
    • Linda Wenhold read a rationale for moving to a committee of the whole format, and Scott Freeman called a committee of the whole a horrible idea. 1:29:53
    • Silvia LeBlanc said there would be no voting that night and suggested a one-pager outlining what the board envisions for a personnel committee. 1:35:08
  14. Informational items and board comments 1:51:47
    • A district staff member noted upcoming events listed in the agenda, including back-to-school nights and senior nights, and no one spoke at the public comment period on other business. 1:51:47
    • Karen Beerer thanked teachers, administrators and staff for preparing for the school year, and Scott Freeman thanked the custodial and maintenance crews. 1:52:36

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “Board Meeting 8/19/2026”