DRAFT: April 15, 2026, minutes

Present:
Matthew Collis
Brian Crandall, President
Diann Fischer
Joseph Lamanna, Vice President
Robert Mihevc
Landon Ploss, Ex Officio Student Board Member

Absent:
Scott Petucci
Aleksander Verenich

Administration:
Nicole Crandall
Corenne Holmes
Maria Lindsay
Todd Manley
Michelle Ploss
Renee Vogt

Others Present:
Kathleen A. Carney, Superintendent of Schools
Chad Hess, Business Manager
Gina McKernan, District Clerk

Staff
Students
Members of the Community

The Board of Education regular meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Herkimer Middle-High School Media Center by Board President Brian Crandall and the Pledge of Allegiance was said.

Public Comment
None

Approval of the Agenda
Ms. Fischer moved, and Mr. Collis seconded a motion to formally approve the consent agenda as submitted.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0

Board Recognized
• NYSSBA Champions of Change Recognition Banner Presented by William Miller, NYSSBA Area 5 Director
• NYSATA Community of Excellence in Visual Arts Award
• Eagle Scout Project – Cooper Jordan
• Oneida-Madison-Herkimer School Board Institute 2026 Distinguished Service & Student Achievement Award
• Section III, Class C Indoor Boy’s Track Champions
• Middle-High School Artwork

Approval of the Minutes
Mr. Lamanna moved, and Ms. Fischer seconded a motion to approve the regular Board of Education meeting minutes from Wednesday, April 15, 2026, as presented.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0

Approval of Financial Reports
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Carney, on a motion made by Mr. Lamanna, seconded by Mr. Collis, the Board approved the following financial reports:
• Treasurer’s Report – March 2026
• General Fund Warrant – March 2026
• HHS/HES Extra-Curricular Report – March 2026

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

Management Advisory Group Agreements
Mr. Collis moved, and Ms. Fischer, seconded the following Board resolution:

“BE IT RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, that the Board of Education hereby agrees to enter into the 2026-2027 Management Advisory Group Business Operations, Inc. (MAGBO) as presented; and,

THEREFORE, it is the Districts desire for the Superintendent of Schools to sign the contracts on the Boards behalf.”

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

BOCES Board Election Ballot Vote Resolution
Mr. Lamanna moved, and Mr. Mihevc seconded the following Board resolution:

“BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Herkimer Central School District does hereby authorize the District Clerk to cast three votes for BOCES Board of Education members.”

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

BOCES 2026-2027 Administrative Budget Resolution
Mr. Lamanna moved, and Mr. Mihevc seconded the following Board resolution:

“BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education of the Herkimer Central School District does hereby authorize the District Clerk to cast one vote for the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Administrative Budget as presented for the 2026-2027 school year.”

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

2025-2026 School Calendar Adjustment – Unused Emergency Day
Mr. Mihevc moved, and Mr. Collis seconded to accept the following Board resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, upon recommendation of the Superintendent of the Schools, I would be seeking Board approval to adjust the 2025-2026 school calendar to reflect the following:

• May 22, 2026 – Unused Emergency Day

THEREFORE, should there be a reason for the school district to use an emergency day, May 22, 2026, will be a day in session.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

Disposal of Surplus Items
Mr. Lamanna moved, and Ms. Fischer seconded to accept the following Board resolution:

“WHEREAS the Herkimer Central School District owns the items listed on the Fixed Asset Inventory Contral spreadsheet provided by Mr. Verenich which are no longer useful or necessary for the school district’s purpose and are of no value to the Herkimer Central School District, and;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby declares those items to be surplus as they have no further value to the school district and authorizes the Business Office to inform the appropriate personnel to dispose of those items in the best interest of the school district.”

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

Senior Class Trip
Ms. Fischer moved and Mr. Collis seconded the following Board resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Herkimer Central School District upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, does hereby approve the Senior Class of 2026 field trip request to Rocking Horse Ranch Resort from June 3, 2026 – June 4, 2026.”

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

Language Club Trip
Mr. Lamanna moved and Ms. Fischer seconded the following Board resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Herkimer Central School District upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, does hereby approve the Language Club International field trip request to Costa Rica from April 17, 2027 – April 25, 2027. “

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

2026-2027 Adoption of Operations Budget/Board Vote
Ms. Fischer moved, and Mr. Mihevc seconded the following Board resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Herkimer Central School District upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, does hereby adopt the 2026-2027 Operations Budget in the amount of $37,008,382 to be presented to district residents for a formal vote on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.”

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

2026-2027 Property Tax Report Card
Mr. Mihevc moved, and Ms. Fischer seconded to accept/approve the following Board resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Herkimer Central School District does hereby authorize the Superintendent of Schools to submit and certify the property tax report card to the New York State Education Department (SED) for the 2026-2027 school year”.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26
Ex Officio Student Board Member Report

Superintendent’s Updates

Administrative Reports

CSE/CPSE Program/Placement Recommendations:
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Carney, on a motion made by Ms. Fischer, seconded by Mr. Collis, the Board of Education approved the Sub-Committee on Special Education and the Committee on Preschool Special Education program/placement recommendations as presented.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS
Upon recommendations of Superintendent Carney, on a motion made by Mr. Lamanna, seconded by Ms. Fischer, the Board of Education approved the following personnel:

LTA Resignation:
Name: Congdon, Autumn
Position: LTA
Location: Elementary School
Effective Date: May 4, 2026

2025-2026 Spring Interscholastic Resignation:
Name: Maldonado, Marissa
Position: Girls Modified Softball

Substitute Recommendation:

Name: Gilbert, Danielle
Position: Substitute Teacher
Location: District Wide
Effective Date: April 16, 2026 – June 26, 2026

Administrative Tenure Appointments:

Name: Holmes, Correne
Location: District Wide
Tenure Area: Director of Special Education and Pre K-8 Curriculum
Probationary Period: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Effective Date: July 1, 2026

Name: Lindsay, Maria
Location: District Wide
Tenure Area: School Building Leader
Probationary Period: July 22, 2023 – July 21, 2026
Effective Date: July 22, 2026

2025-2026 Spring Interscholastic Coaching Appointments*:

Name: Nasypany, Robert
Appointment: Modified Softball Coach
Salary: $2,140

• Conditioned upon a sufficient number of schools participating to merit a season with sufficient student participation to field a team

2025-2026 Spring Interscholastic Unpaid Volunteer Coaching Appointments:
Cleary, Cole Varsity Unpaid Baseball Assistant Coach

2026-2027 Student Teaching Placement:

Student Teacher: Parks, Ryan
Certification Area: Early Childhood/Childhood Education
Cooperating Teacher: Stallman, Kristin
Location: Elementary School
Effective: November 2, 2026 – December 22, 2026

Medical Leave of Absence:

Name: Brown, Jamie
Position: 3rd Grade Teacher
Location: Elementary School
Effective Date: May 11, 2026, to on/about June 26, 2026

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
Material filed in the supplemental file dated 4/15/26

Board of Education
• President Crandall stated to the Board of Education the Budget Hearing will be on Tuesday, May 5 at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 19 is the Budget Vote from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Wednesday, May 20 is the regular Board of Education meeting is at 6 p.m. All will be held in the Middle-High School Library.

On a motion made by Mr. Lamanna, seconded by Ms. Fischer, the Board of Education entered into Executive Session for the purpose of issues pertaining to proposed, pending or current litigation. The Board may take action in public session after the Executive Session ends, and the Board returns to public session.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0

Executive Session:
The Board moved into Executive Session at 7:45 p.m.
The Board exited Executive Session at 8:35 p.m.

Adjournment:
On a motion made by Mr. Collis, and seconded by Ms. Fischer, the Board of Education adjourned the public meeting at 8:38 p.m.

Ayes: Matthew Collis, Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc
Nayes: 0
Abstained: 0
______________________
Gina McKernan
School District Clerk