Super will have more contract power
The Riverhead school board on Tuesday voted to slightly expand the scope of power for the district’s superintendent.
Riverhead Superintendent Nancy Carney can now sign off on professional service contracts for under $100,000 without board approval. School board member Angela DeVito explained that allowing the superintendent to sign off on projects will facilitate the process and prevent work from being performed when no official contract is in place.
The board also approved a second reading of a revised policy that, if adopted, would allow the superintendent to approve budget transfers of up to $1 million without board approval. The resolution will need to be voted before adoption by the school board. The board voted five to zero to adopt the reading. Board member Tim Griffing was absent and Kathy Berezny abstained, citing the need for more information.
REFINANCING TO SAVE MONEY
The board also voted to refinance $9.5 million in debt held by the school. Assistant superintendent for finance and operations Michael Ivanoff noted that by refinancing the bond the school would be paying a lower interest rate.
“Net savings will be about $30,000 to $40,000 per year,” he said.
PEANUT BUTTER BAN PROPOSED
School board member Amelia Lantz proposed examining whether or not to remove peanut butter from the school lunch menu to accommodate students with peanut allergies.
She noted that she is vigilant about what foods she sends in with her own children and wanted to investigate making it a district-wide policy.
“We can’t control [students with allergies],” she said. “We can control the menu.”
ROTARY DONATES DICTIONARIES
Riverhead Free Library director and Rotary Club of Riverhead member Lisa Jacobs announced the donation of a dictionary for every fourth-grade student throughout Riverhead schools.
“We’ll be pleased to improve the literacy of the fourth-graders in the district,” Ms. Jacobs said.
