# Carmel Central School District Board of Education Meeting October 13, 2026

At the Carmel Central School District Board of Education meeting on October 13, 2026, trustees discussed several spending and procurement matters. The board approved a memorandum of agreement settling a bus-driver grievance; a public commenter cited a $12-per-day payment as part of the settlement discussion. Trustees also reviewed a possible switch to Unite GPS for school-bus routing and real-time tracking. The proposed service would cost $21,000 annually, including installation and removal of existing equipment, compared with current costs for Traversa ($10,000 per year, plus a $30,000 initial fee) and Zonar ($5,000 per year). The option was discussed but not approved; staff described further due diligence and a potential transition after the current contracts expire. Trustees also discussed legal spending—Carmel spent about $360,000 in 2024–25, compared with figures cited for Brewster ($176,030) and Yorktown ($78,000)—and proposed seeking reductions and considering a future spending cap. A public commenter noted about $38,000 in unused field-trip funds, which administration said return to fund balance or may be used to adjust other budget lines.

The superintendent reported a 0.10% tax-levy decrease in the 2026–27 budget. Trustees debated a zero-based budgeting approach and a 0% levy increase for 2027–28, but took no budget vote. The board approved the consent agenda and other listed actions, including special-education placements, personnel items, and creation of up to three elementary-school Best Buddies positions under an agreement with the teachers’ association. Donations of books and soil for a school sensory garden were also recognized. A proposed Columbus Day and Italian-American heritage resolution passed after extended discussion; a motion to postpone it failed. The board also received a first reading of a student data-privacy and security policy, with an approval vote deferred to a future meeting.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Education, Information Technology
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** October 13, 2026

### Sources
- [Carmel Central School District Board of Education Meeting October 13, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_pdYT5siak) - CarmelCSD Board of Education