The School Board adopted the following resolution at its Oct. 18 meeting:

"Resolution for the Adoption of Partial Exemption from Real Property Taxation Under Section 467 as Amended by Chapter 298 of the Real Property Tax Law 1998:

"Section 1. The purpose of this resolution is to grant a partial exemption from taxation to the extent of 50 per centum of the assessed valuation of real property which is owned by certain persons with limited income who are 65 years of age or over meeting the requirements set forth in chapter 298 of the Real Property Tax Law.

"Section 2. Real property owned by one or more persons, each of whom is 65 years of age or over, or real property owned by husband and wife, one of whom is 65 years of age or over, shall be exempt from school taxes to the extent of 50 per centum of the assessed valuation thereof, subject to the following conditions:

a The owner or all of the owners must file an application annually in the Nassau County Department of Assessment on or before the appropriate taxable status date or such other time as may be hereafter fixed by law.

b The income of the owner or the combined income of the owners must meet the following criteria:

Income $	% exemption
Less than 19500	50
19500 ­ less than 20500	45
20500 ­ less than 21500	40
21500 ­ less than 22500	35
22500 ­ less than 23400	30
23400 ­ less than 24300	25
24300 ­ less than 25200	20
25200 ­ less than 26100	15
26100 ­ less than 27000	10
27000 ­ less than 27900	5

for the income tax year immediately preceding the date of making application for exemption. Income tax year shall mean the 12 month period for which the owner or owners filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no such return is filed, the calendar year. When title is vested in either the husband or wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum. Such income shall include social security and retirement benefits, interest, dividends, net rental income, salary or earnings, and net income from self-employment, but shall not include gifts or inheritance.

c Title to the real property must be vested in the owner or all of the owners for at least 60 consecutive months prior to the date that the application is filed, provided, however, that in the event of the death of either a husband or wife in whose name title of the property shall have been vested at the

time of death and then becomes vested solely in the survivor by virtue of devise by or decent from the deceased husband or wife, the time of ownership of property by the deceased husband or wife shall be deemed also a time of ownership of property by the deceased husband or wife shall be deemed also a time of ownership by the survivor and such ownership shall be deemed continuous for the purposes of computing such period of 60 consecutive months and provided further that where property of the owner or owners has been acquired to replace property formerly owned by such owner or owners has been acquired to replace property formerly owned by such owner or owners and taken by eminent domain or other involuntary proceeding, except a tax sale, the period of ownership of the former property shall be combined with the period of ownership of the property for which application is made for exemption and such periods of ownership shall be deemed to be consecutive for purposes of qualifing for the requirement.

d The real property must be used exclusively for residential purposes.

e The real property must be the legal residence of and be occupied in while or in part by the owner or by all of the owners of the property.

f Exemption from taxation shall not be granted in the case of real property where a child resides if such child attends a public school of elementary or secondary education.

"Section 3. This resolution shall take effect January 1, 2000."

Also at the School Board meeting, the Board approved payment of attorney's fees with the following resolution:

"Approval of Payment of Bills: Guercio & Guercio (#5)

"Be It Resolved, that the Board of Education approves the payment of bills to Guercio & Guercio for the period Aug. 1, 1999 through Aug. 31, 1999 for legal services rendered in the amounts of $190.00 in connection with student assignment and educational testing; and $13.50 for general fees and dispersements."

Gifts were also accepted:

"Acceptance of Gifts #6

"Be It Resolved, that the Board of Education accepts gifts of:

* a used Nautilus exercise machine to the Garden City Middle School from Francine Gumiela valued by the donor at approximately $1,000,

* $297.00 to the primary schools from Garden City SEPTA for the purchase of a hands-on-math program,

* $690.00 to the primary schools from Garden City SEPTA for the purchase of Structural Arithmetic I & II,

* $3897.00 to the Garden City elementary and secondary schools from Garden City SEPTA for the purchase of a Wilson Reading Program,

* $302.28 to Stewart School from Garden City SEPTA for the purchase of Junior Great Books,

* $303.81 to Stratford School from Garden City SEPTA for the purchase of Thematic Unit 20th Century, a collection of CD Roms, videos, and books, and

* $394.13 to the Garden City Middle School from Garden City SEPTA for the purchase of science materials."

Contracts were awarded:

"Awards of Contracts #7

Be it Resolved, that the Boards of Education awards the following contract based on the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications:

"Private Transportation Contract Exhibit A-1."