Casino money will not affect school aid revenues

By TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Sullivan West School Board learned at its last meeting on July 24 that any money which the school district should gain from the agreement with the tribes will not affect the school district’s state aid ratio.

Superintendent Michael Johndrow received a letter from the State Education Department recently, answering an inquiry he made on the matter.

Johndrow also told the board that the county has declared itself the lead agency in any agreement with the tribes who are proposing building casinos in the county.

Several board members expressed a desire to send a strong resolution to the county, urging that school districts be adequately funded in any agreement. The board will agree on the language of the letter and send it after its next meeting on August 7.

In other board matters, the board officially approved the addition of two sections to its Advanced Placement Program for next year. Originally, only one section of AP English and AP Social Studies was being offered.

“It wasn’t a question of money,” said High School Principal Marge Tenbus. “It was a question of scheduling.”

Thirty-seven students were selected out of the 42 that applied.

The board also heard a report by the construction managers of the various ongoing building projects.

“The moisture under the roof of the Delaware Valley building has to dry out before the new roof is installed,” said Mac Rawley of the Hillier Group, the project architects.

Despite that, the Delaware Valley construction is on schedule, he said.

Ron Reese of Turner Construction, the district’s construction consultants, said the high school was also on schedule. An open house would be scheduled very soon, he said.

In a lengthy discussion with the construction team, school officials expressed a desire to approve the reception of free exercise equipment amounting to $250,000 from the National Fitness Foundation.

As part of an agreement with the foundation, the school must install the equipment in an 1800 square foot room to be used for no other purpose. The board is deciding to convert an auxiliary gym in the new school, originally intended for volleyball, to be dedicated to the new gym equipment.

Volleyball will be held in the large gym at times when the entire gym is not being used, Johndrow said. He said that it would not adversely affect volleyball.

The board has to sign an agreement with the company by the next board meeting on August 7.