OLEAN — In a brief and cordial meeting Wednesday evening, two new members were sworn in to serve on the Olean City School District Board of Education.
Aubree Malick and Alex Calbi received their oaths to fill seats vacated by former board members Ricky Bee and Daniel Farnham, both of whom issued their resignations following the March 18 meeting.
Catharine Young, as the top vote getter in the election Tuesday, will serve a full term replacing current board president Kelly Keller and will be sworn in in July after Keller’s term ends.
On Tuesday, Young, Malick and Calbi each won seats as they were top three in votes in the districtwide election. Young, a former state senator, received 1,097 votes while Malick received 958 and Calbi received 861.
The trio who won board seats cited serious school safety issues, low academic scores and high absenteeism and they have been highly critical of the leadership of the district’s superintendent, Dr. Genelle Morris.
Morris, who had three years remaining on her contract, received a one-year extension to a fourth year Tuesday evening during a special meeting called by the board. A Times Herald headline on the report of the meeting incorrectly stated that the superintendent had received a four-year extension.
The addition of the one year was approved 5-1 over the stated objections of all five candidates who were on the ballot for school board Tuesday.
Attending Wednesday’s special meeting were Keller, board vice president Mary Hirsch-Schena, and board members Betty Burrows, Julio Fuentes and Rene Garrison. Also in attendance were Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael Irizarry and Business Administrator Jenny Bilotta.
Morris was not in attendance.
After voting to certify the results of Tuesday’s election, the members present congratulated Bilotta on the passage of the budget, thanking her for her hard work. District voters on Tuesday approved a $58 million budget for 2025-26 by an 803-652 margin — there is no increase in taxes on the budget.
Also approved were two capital propositions totaling more than $53 million for improvements to the district’s school buildings. Nearly 97% of the cost for the projects will be paid for by aid from New York state — there will be no local property tax impact. The local 3% outlay will be $1 million taken from the district’s capital reserve fund.
Malick and Calbi were then issued their oaths of office, to the applause of the dozen or so spectators attending the meeting.
The meeting adjourned immediately after the swearing in.
Also Wednesday, district officials clarified salary figures for Billota and Irizarry, which were incorrectly reported by the Times Herald after Tuesday’s special meeting. Bilotta’s salary for next year is $132,810 and Irizarry’s is $135,521. Both are set to receive 3.3% raises annually through 2029.
