By Carla Kolbe

Express Editor

NORTHVILLE - The board of education here has already met twice this week, will meet again Friday morning for a project financing committee discussion on the capital project, and again for a regularl monthly meeting Tuesday, Aug. 16.

Monday night’s meeting was brief and concluded business left over from last month’s organizational meeting.  Member Jim Beirlein was sworn in as board president, Sheldon Ginter was sworn in as a trustee for another term as well as board vice president.

Kara Maccio was appointed as CSE chairwoman alternate, school psychologist, and CPSE chairwoman alternate.

The board went into executive session to discuss a personnel matter for close to two hours, only to return and say there would be no further business conducted that evening.

Tuesday night’s meeting was strictly for public comment, and intended to give the community its own forum.

The July meeting ran  until the wee hours of the next morning following hours of public comment and outcry over a proposed 21 percent school tax levy. The special public comment meeting was set up to alleviate another late-night session.

A question brought up to the board was whether or not the proposed tax levy would be reduced since earlier on Tuesday, the Hudson River Black River Regulating District agreed to pay its back taxes.

The board members said they would rather not answer the question without the money in hand. Making a point that this will only pay the HRBRRD back taxes, they also need to anticipate the taxes not being paid again for the coming year.

A decision on the tax levy will be made at next Tuesday’s regular meeting on the Aug. 16.

Resident Thomas Black came to the microphone asking Superintendent Kathy Dougherty to explain how she plans to address the latest numbers released in a report from the state education department in which eighth-grade Northville students scored among the lowest in the area for ELA and math.

“This is not satisfactory,” Dougherty replied. “We have a lot to do, we have a plan in place, we are looking into the problem from top to bottom.”

Admitting much needs to be done, they are looking into the curriculum, the teachers, the students, even text books and all possibilities to improve the students’ scores.

Dougherty did admit she was happy to see the public comment, concerns and interest on the students and issues with the schools curriculum.

Student Abby Moore came to the podium to speak on behalf of her former junior varsity soccer coach Christopher Edwards. Explaining that Edwards has brought so much to the girls’ soccer program, she would like to see him be considered as the varsity coach.

Board president Jim Beirlein told her that appointment would be made at Friday’s meeting and invited her back to hear the board’s decision.

In September, the regularly scheduled board meeting will be held Tuesday the 20th at 6:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. A public comment meeting with the board will be held Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.