BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- Those attending Massena Central School District board of education meetings will be able to do so in comfort following a switch to the high school auditorium.

Board members made the switch official at the June 9 reorganization meeting, saying excessive heat in June necessitating the change.

Though originally intended to be a temporary move, a poll was taken during the June 9 meeting to see which board members wished to continue to meet in the auditorium.

 Do we feel like this setup in the auditorium is a workable way to have our board meetings and do business that we need to do and also be accommodating to the public that might come, as well as the employees and the administrators who need to be here every month as well and their ability to get things done that they need to get done as well?” Board President Paul Haggett asked.

Though Board Member Joyce Giroux said she had difficulty hearing an attendee at a previous meeting, she noted that the situation could easily be fixed.

She also commented that the auditorium is more easily accessible from the parking lot as well, another benefit to the switch.

Board Member Patricia Murphy also voiced support for the switch, saying the auditorium was a better location.

For Board Member Robert LeBlanc, the move would allow him to better see and hear speakers, he said.

“I always complain about the fact that I couldn’t see everybody where I was sitting. I didn’t like that, people behind me. Now there’s nobody behind me. Everybody’s in front, and there’s a lot of people that can fit in this room if we have groups that come. I like this setup,” he said.

Haggett said the move to the auditorium was also praised by Christopher Lincoln, who handles the technical aspects of all live streams.

“I’ve had a couple of conversations with Mr. Lincoln who likes the production values and the way the meeting looks and sounds on video on YouTube,” he said.

In conversation with district administrators, Haggett said concerns over maintenance for the previous meeting room, room 314, were also raised.

According to Haggett, high school principal Alan Oliver said the building maintenance crew was responsible for a significant amount of work and upkeep for the previous meeting space to ensure the meetings could go ahead as planned.

Haggett said the maintenance of the space was not something he really considered prior to speaking with Oliver.

Following comments from board members Haggett said he was convinced that the move to the auditorium was the right move for all future board meetings.

The board of education will meet next on August 15.