Letter to the Editor: A good step toward a closer working relationship

September 30, 2011
by Rob Greenstein

At the School board’s September 20 meeting, board members voted unanimously to change the night of their meeting from Tuesday to Wednesday, to begin in the next school year, 2012-2013.  Bravo!

One of the stated reason for the change was that this would give school board members “the opportunity to go to the town board meetings when we have issues that relate to us, such as Chappaqua Crossing or field use.”  In addition, residents will no longer have to choose between town and school board meetings.

To me, this shows that the School Board understands that many of its issues are related to town board issues.  While the Town Board currently has two members who serve on a facilities (fields) committee, we need to further open, and keep open, the lines of communication with the school board.  There are many overlapping issues, in addition to fields, about which the two boards should be familiar.  I would like to see the Town Board create a liaison to the school board to focus on identifying and enhancing synergies and efficiencies between us.

We all realize the importance of increasing our commercial tax base and finding opportunities for new businesses to meet the commercial needs of our residents.  Nevertheless, our biggest and most important community value anchor is our school district.

As budget pressures mount, we must work together on issues such as long-term mandate relief, switching employees to a more realistic, manageable retirement benefit systems, modifying the Triborough Amendment, managing accelerating health care costs and, along with other municipalities and school districts, pressing for local control.

I believe it is also time to establish a “Five Year Plan” for our hamlet, encompassing town and school board issues.  This could be a great mutual project for the liaisons to chair - a Five Year Plan for New Castle - and for both school and town boards to produce together.  A Five Year Plan allows the community to beginning discussing and evaluating, in a thoughtful, orderly and strategic manner, our projected student enrollment trends and the options we might have to address mutually beneficial solutions to problems.

The town board should also take steps to foster a more productive working relationship, including more scheduled joint meetings between the two boards than the customary one or two per year. 

The school board took the lead by changing the night of their meetings. The town board should follow their lead and take additional steps to foster a more productive working relationship.