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Stillwater Central School District board meeting, Aug 12, 2026

57 min · 4 public speakers

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 41:00Reading and test scores ▶ 41:00

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 57 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Stillwater board adopts 2026⁠-⁠2027 tax rates as speakers address elementary library staffing 14:18

  • The board approved a personnel resignation and adopted the 2026⁠-⁠2027 tax rates and the 2026⁠-⁠27 tax warrant. 5:44
  • The board approved a boys wrestling merger after Darrell Hazen asked why the merger would not require board approval each year. 16:23
  • Several speakers at public comment addressed a plan to fill the elementary library position with a teaching assistant instead of a certified teacher. 41:03

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and consent agenda 0:00
    • The chair called for a motion to approve the consent agenda, including minutes of the July 8th, 2026, meeting and the July 24th, 2026, special meeting. 0:46
    • The chair announced the motion carried. 1:05
  2. Superintendent report 1:05
    • A district staff member reported summer hiring for the elementary school, a Spanish position and a school psychologist position. 1:13
  3. Business manager report 2:40
    • A district staff member said the audit was expected to be complete at the beginning of October and that roof work had started at the middle school. 2:48
    • The staff member said the district went out with a projected 4.5% rate increase and Stillwater rates were close to that, while Saratoga Easton and Scatico, about 14% of the total levy, had higher rates. 3:22
    • A speaker asked about $780,000 in revenue that was not collected, and the staff member said revenues were overstated. 4:00
  4. Personnel resignations and appointments 5:18
    • The chair announced each personnel motion carried. 5:44
  5. Shared services agreement with Galloway 13:37
    • A district staff member said the district was taking one of the other district's students. 14:05
    • The chair announced the motion carried. 14:18
  6. Tax rates and tax warrant 14:18
    • A speaker asked whether the recapitalization rate changed, and a staff member said rates generally had been decreasing. 14:34
    • The chair announced the motion to adopt the 2026⁠-⁠2027 tax rates and tax warrant carried. 14:18
  7. College cooperative agreement 14:53
    • A speaker asked whether the five courses were fewer than usual, and a staff member said it was about the same as last year. 15:16
    • The staff member said expanding the program depends on counselors promoting it to students. 15:35
    • The chair announced the motion carried. 16:03
  8. Substitute pay rates 16:03
    • The board considered substitute pay rates effective for the 2026⁠-⁠2027 school year. 16:03
    • The chair announced the motion carried. 16:23
  9. Boys wrestling merger 16:23
    • Darrell Hazen asked why this merger would not require annual board approval when other sports mergers do. 16:53
    • A staff member said Hoosick Valley was not part of the merger last year and was now back in it. 17:26
    • One board member said it may be better to review such mergers annually. 17:40
    • The chair announced the motion carried. 18:09
  10. Placement and service agreements 18:09
    • A staff member said the person under discussion does a lot of work outside the actual school day and is not necessarily tied to the school day schedule. 20:02
    • A speaker asked about a contract amount that may not exceed $475,000, and a staff member said it did not represent one student's cost. 20:42
    • The board took up agreements with schools and service providers, including St. Ann Institute and Access Therapy Group. 22:05
    • The chair announced each agreement motion carried. 18:52
  11. Board meeting frequency 24:14
    • The chair asked board members to consider moving from two meetings a month to one. 24:14
    • A speaker said items needing a vote would have to wait longer. 25:12
  12. Conference report and state initiative 25:36
    • A speaker reported on conference sessions about the New York Inspires program, including a single state diploma phased in with students entering 9th grade in 2029. 26:25
    • A staff member said financial literacy would be integrated at the high school and also at the middle school this year. 34:06
  13. Board committee assignments 36:38
    • The chair said committees were under review and recommendations would hopefully be sent by email before the next meeting. 37:24
    • A speaker said the audit committee is the only one required by law. 38:10
  14. Public comment on elementary library 39:41
    • Speakers at public comment addressed a plan to staff the elementary library with a teaching assistant instead of a certified teacher. 41:03
    • A speaker asked the board to restore a certified teacher or give families a written plan and timeline. 41:03
    • A speaker said the difference between a teaching assistant and a new teacher was about $20,000 in savings. 46:42
  15. Executive session 55:58
    • The chair called for a motion to adjourn into executive session for a personnel matter. 55:58

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 “SCSD Board of Education Meeting, 8-12-2026”