Budget items included $2.6 million in contract salary increases as provided in previously negotiated agreements with teachers, civil service and administrative personnel and a 25 percent increase in benefit costs, despite a $500,000 savings achieved through negotiated health benefit changes. The increased benefits include a $665,000 increase in state employee retirement system costs for civil service employees due to significant rate increases; a $2.1 million increase in health benefit costs due to higher medical and prescription rates and significantly increased claims; and a $250,000 increase in other benefit costs, including Social Security, dental insurance and workers' compensation.

Budget provisions for capital projects were reduced from $470,000 this school year to $300,000 in 200304. However, the board provided for increased capital project efforts by proposing the sale of the Gregory Avenue property, where the proceeds of the sale, and some state Rescue II aid, would be used for such projects.

With the approval of the budget, it is expected that $320,000 will be used for the replacement of the septic system at Pound Ridge Elementary School. By approving Proposition II (the Gregory Avenue property), voters authorized an additional $474,200 in capital projects across the district, including replacing playground equipment and working on a number of other projects at Bedford Hills Elementary School (not to exceed $68,000); repairing and soundproofing cafeteria walls and replacing the gym floor at Bedford Village Elementary School, among other projects (not to exceed $124,500); partially replacing and repairing water distribution piping on the Fox Lane campus (not to exceed $20,999); replacing the fire alarm system in the central administration building (not to exceed $37,500); partially replacing gym lockers and science lab tables at Fox Lane Middle School (not to exceed $130,000); and partially replacing sinks and cabinetry and replacing a part of the gym floor and lighting at West Patent Elementary School (not to exceed $94,200).

He said the new school board trustees, Ms. Elion Wollin and Mr. Black, have already begun to receive packets of materials so they can be "up to speed" when sworn in on July 14, the date of the this year's reorganizational meeting. Their terms officially begin July 1, but, he said, "we don't anticipate any official business before they become fully compliant on July 14." The district's annual reorganizational meeting is being held later than usual this year because of conflicting board member schedules, he said.

When asked to comment on the tenure of outgoing board president Dot Fallon, Dr. Dennis, who has been with Bedford Central 11 years, had nothing but high praise.

"I've been really blessed to work with outstanding board presidents, and Dot is just as good as it gets. She is an extraordinarily effective board leader, which is a major asset for any superintendent," he said.

Saying Mrs. Fallon "conducts the public portion of her job with incredible grace and dignity and skill," Dr.

When interviewed by telephone yesterday morning, Mr. Black said he was planning to meet with a member of the board early next week for an "informal orientation" and would sit down with Dr. Dennis at some point in the near future. Mr. Black and Ms. Elion Wollin will also join the current school board in an executive session on June 18, "as observers, non-voting members," he said. Dr. Dennis agreed that this would happen and is a typical practice after new school board members are elected but not yet sworn in.

Mr. Black said his primary concern as a new school board member involves the construction work that is going to start to take place this summer. "It will require a lot of regular involvement from members of the board, interacting with members of the community to make sure the community is aware of and comfortable with the decisions and actions that are taking place that have a direct impact on the day-to-day lives of students," he said.

Increasing the level of communication between the school district and local residents is another of his priorities, he said, in order to "begin to help members of the community feel more connected to the activity of the board and district."

Saying Bedford Central is "already doing a good job" in communicating with the public, Mr. Black said the district can nevertheless improve on what's already in place.

"It's not a complaint per se, but one of the issues people had when they talked of concerns, they would regularly say, `I've had a hard time finding information or getting access to information," he said.

Mr. Black suggested the district supply advance copies of school board meeting agendas to residents by electronic mail, but only to those who request them. "We won't start spamming people across the district," he said.

Mr. Black praised his opponent, Ms. Negron-Ramirez, and said, "I hope she will continue to stay involved, and I really want to emphasize that she's bringing a perspective to the attention of the board that we have not necessarily had on a consistent basis in the past."

He said the board would need to look into suggestions that Latino children are underserved by the district. "If those needs are not being fully met, or the perception is that their needs are not receiving as much attention as perhaps those of their non-Latino peers, then we need to pay attention to that, absolutely," Mr. Black said.

Ms. Negron-Ramirez said Thursday that she was not surprised she lost the school board race. "Unfortunately, I had some other issues I had to take of during the campaign," she said. Her daughter who :s a senior at Fox Lane High School was competing in the state Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year competition last weekend in Albany, and Ms. Negron-Ramirez accompanied her there. She said she returned Tuesday evening "just in time to vote" and then had to drive to Connecticut to pick up her other children.

"I had to choose between continuing the campaign and being supportive of my daughter," Ms. NegronRamirez said. "It was more important to me to be there for her and support her in that issue. It was to Mr. Black's advantage because I didn't have time to campaign."

Saying she "didn't consider it a loss" that she was away last weekend and unable to campaign because her daughter won the competition in Albany, Ms. Negron-Ramirez also said she was "able to meet congressmen, assembly people, who also make decisions in school issues" while upstate and had the opportunity to express her ideas to them.

When asked if she would continue to work on issues she cited as important to her in the campaign, Ms. Negron-Ramirez said she would "continue to try to help the community," but not necessarily through the school board. She added, "I congratulate Mr. Black and wish him the best."