Christina Downey

Recent Posts

New Faces at BOE Meeting Plead: Waste No More Time on New CMS

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“I cannot believe I am standing here now and it’s even a controversy whether to fix up a building to make it safe for our kids. You are galvanizing moderates and people who never come to meetings like this. They’re coming out now.” – Jodi Applegate Kay Continue Reading →

Filed under: Schools, Barbara Schellenberg, Central Middle School, Christina Downey, Cody Kittle, Dr. Toni Jones, James Walsh, Jodi Applegate Kay

BOE May Hire Attorney for Second Opinion on Wetmore ‘Section 99 Memo’ Delaying CMS Timeline

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BOE members balked at being advised they couldn’t seek a second opinion. Meanwhile, the building committee did not want to “pause” to focus on just the MI approval process, but rather to proceed with both design documents as part of the “study and survey” process and the MI approval. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Government, Schools, Barbara Schellenberg, BET, Board of Education, Board of Estimate and Taxation, BOE, Central Middle School

Is Election Silly Season Creating a Stalemate on Superintendent Contract Renewal?

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The BOE voted 4-4 down party lines on a one-year contract extension, Republicans voting yes for one year and Democrats voting no, preferring a 2-year extension. The motion failed to pass. On a motion to extend the contract for two years, there was another tie vote down party lines. That motion also failed to pass. BOE chair Joe Kelly announced he would not be seeking another term in the November election and that was more reason for the superintendent’s contract extension to be one year, not two. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Schools, Amy Muth, Board of Education, Central Middle School, Christina Downey, Clare Kilgallen, Cody Kittle, David Lancaster

BOE Dems Press for Conditions for Approval of Use of Hamilton Ave School for St Roch Church Feast: Not in Perpetuity, No Alcohol on School Property, Leave Field in Pre-Feast Condition

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Karen Kowalski’s motion to approve use of the school facilities for the feast omitted conditions in a draft partnership agreement. Karen Hirsh asked why? Continue Reading →

Filed under: Schools, beer garden, Christina Downey, Cody Kittle, Hamilton Avenue School, Joe Kelly, Karen Kowalski, Kathleen Stowe

Special Committee to Evaluate Options for Future Use of Historic Havemeyer Building

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The building features a theater with a proscenium just wasting away. A drop ceiling was installed in the disused theater to house the building’s HVAC systems. The proscenium arch over the original stage has a Latin inscription which roughly translates to, ‘For the Community and Its People.’ Continue Reading →

Filed under: Government, Real Estate, Schools, Amy Courage, Andy Duus, Bill Drake, Board of Education, Christina Downey