Dutchess County School Boards Unanimously Approve BOCES Budget

Dutchess County School Boards Unanimously Approve BOCES Budget

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – All thirteen school boards in Dutchess County voted to approve the 2020-21 Dutchess BOCES Administrative budget and elected three members to the BOCES Board of Trustees on April 28, according to District Clerk Nancy Melilli.

Dutchess BOCES is delighted we once again had a unanimous budget approval across the county,” said District Superintendent Dr. Richard Hooley. “We’re very grateful for the wide support of our work, especially in this time of uncertainty. It’s edifying to see this support manifest itself in this vote.”

The $7.22 million administrative budget represents a 3.2 percent increase over the 2019-20 budget. The budget includes a 4 percent increase in retiree health care expenses and a 1.3 percent increase in non-retiree related items.

In its ongoing efforts to offer programs and services to meet the needs of component districts, Dutchess

BOCES continuously evaluates the educational landscape for the need for new services. Recent additions to our services include mentoring for administrators, Bard Early College, behavior specialists, a program for students with interrupted education, and a new automotive offering at the Career and Technical Institute.

Two incumbent members of the Board of Trustees, Thomas Hurley of Millbrook and Michael Riehl of Beacon, were re-elected to three-year terms beginning July 1. A new member, Gully Stanford of Hyde Park, was the third person elected and he will begin serving his term immediately.

Gully Stanford will be joining the board now as he was elected to serve the remainder of a term left vacant due to a board member’s resignation,” said Hooley. “We welcome his contributions.” Ralph Coates resigned near the start of the school year.

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Author: Harlem Valley News