School Board Reappoints Aquatics Director, Schedules Retreat

The Clarkstown School Board held a short meeting Thursday night at which Christopher Serra was reappointed as the district’s aquatics director for the coming school year. Serra, who is also Clarkstown’s physical education and athletics director, will be paid $15,000 for his aquatics duties. The board vote was 4-0 with Robert Carlucci abstaining.

Trustees agreed to hold a four–hour retreat on September 17 in the board meeting room. Board President Mike Aglialoro said last August board members considered holding a retreat to discuss issues but it was never organized. 

He said New York State School Boards Association Executive Director Tim Kremer would send a survey to all the members and the superintendent to determine what topics they will discuss.  Kremer will coordinate the retreat and prepare the agenda.

Aglialoro was asked about setting the tax rate, which originally has been on the agenda. The board had been scheduled to set the tax rate at Thursday’s meeting but it was removed from the agenda on Wednesday. Aglialoro said he expected the vote to be rescheduled to the week of August 19th.    

Assistant School Superintendent John LaNave said the tax rate is typically voted on during the third week of August but this year the board had tried to move it up. However, LaNave determined he did not have enough time to complete his analysis and confirm the numbers with the Clarkstown town assessor.

“I’m not far along enough in the process to bring it before the board,” he said on Thursday.

LaNave said there are numerous documents that have to be coordinated between the district and the town and he had received some of the information just a few days earlier.  He said the tax rate would be 2.9 percent, which was the increase voters approved when they passed the school budget in May.