MAHOPAC, N.Y.— "We need a forward-thinking, unified school board — not whatever this is,” said Erin O’Brien, a 20-year Mahopac resident, at the conclusion of the Aug. 14 special school board meeting. Many in attendance applauded her statement.
O’Brien’s comments came at the end of a contentious meeting in which the 2025-26 board could not reach consensus. Disputes over spending priorities, subcommittee formation and even which weekend to hold the board’s annual retreat spilled over throughout the two-hour agenda.
At the start of the night, acting interim Superintendent Frank Miele appeared to be settling into his new role, greeting attendees warmly and inviting feedback during a meet-and-greet style introduction before the official meeting.
Miele then delivered his first report as acting superintendent, pledging to do “the best job” he can and adding, “I bleed blue and gold.”
Miele previously served as Mahopac’s interim superintendent in 2021 during the search for former Superintendent Christine Tona. He spent 39 years in the Mahopac Central School District in roles including assistant principal, coach and athletics director at Mahopac High School.
“My vision is to give every student a chance to be all that he or she can be, and I have the courage to make decisions,” he said in his report. “I hold myself accountable, and I hold other people accountable, too.”
He said that communications about the new cell phone policy as well as changes to the breakfast and lunch availability for full-time students would be shared with the community in the coming days.
Miele noted that during his first week as superintendent, he decided to resurface the high school tennis courts and add pickleball lines — a plan that was shared via an email to the MCSD community immediately. The work is scheduled for completion before school reopens in September.
Trustee Jennifer Travis questioned whether the decision-making process met district requirements for facilities improvements. Several other trustees said they first learned of the project through an email sent to the community.
“It was stunning that this was done without us being told,” trustee Ben Dilullo said.
Tensions rose after a community member raised the subject of bathroom renovations during the public comment on agenda items.
A proposal to establish a capital improvements fund — which could have been used to upgrade aging bathrooms across the district — was put to voters in June 2024 but failed, along with the board’s proposed budget.
The district must now allocate its $5 million surplus from 2023-2024's $137 million budget. Without the capital fund, options for what to do with that money are limited.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Alyssa Murray said the options would be to absorb all of the funds into this year's budget and lower the tax levy, or to absorb only half of it and reserve the rest for litigation expenses that may result from a current special education lawsuit against the district.
A lively discussion followed over the condition of the bathrooms and whether they are sanitary or even safe to use.
BOE President Michael Mongon presented a draft overview for the search for a new superintendent. As presented, it outlined a 12-month process. Several trustees said that timeline was unacceptable. Mongon responded that the board would review the plan and could shorten it if desired.
At the conclusion of the meeting, several community members voiced their strong displeasure over recent choices made by the BOE.
In her statement, O'Brien accused the board of a “million-dollar betrayal."
Addressing Miele, she said, "I wish you every success, and my objection is not about you personally."
O'Brien then mentioned the recent changes in MCSD administration. "The lack of trust amongst this board really stands out. Without even getting to know [former Superintendent] Tona, they forced her out. Why?"
O'Brien pointed out that the process of replacing Tona would be incredibly costly, calling it "closed-door croney-ism."
"Now, the board appears to have rushed the appointment of a personal friend."
At the conclusion of the night, members of the special education community pushed for answers about the special education audit, saying the results have been available for months and have yet to be shared with any members of the community.
"If this is not prioritized immediately, it really says something about this board," said Christine Buccinna. Buccinna proposed an ad hoc special education committee to facilitate transparency as the audit is discussed and results implemented.
"We need the full report, public. So many projects get started and then go, 'poof,' into the dust bin. Meanwhile, our kids are aging out."
Miele urged Buccinna to continue the conversation with him one-on-one as he begins his tenure.
But Buccinna concluded her statement by expressing disappointment with the lack of resolution to her request. She said, "I hope everyone here proves us wrong," as several in the room nodded their heads.
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