12:00: What do parents and child advocates want to see in the RCSD budget?
1:00: Landfill debate heats up
What do local child advocates and parents think the Rochester City School District should prioritize in its budget? The district will hold a hearing on the proposed budget on Tuesday. In advance of the event, The Children's Agenda is inviting parents, caregivers, and child advocates to share their priorities. The organization is hosting a "Teach-In" on Monday. This hour, we sit down with Eamonn Scanlon, director of community impact for The Children's Agenda, to discuss the nonprofit's priorities — including mental health, school climate, and transportation — and we hear from local parents who share their perspectives. In studio:
- Eamonn Scanlon, director of community impact at The Children's Agenda
- Angela Colón-Rentas, FPA-P, NYCPS-P (credentialed peer advocate), senior youth/young adult peer service navigator for BIPOC PEEEEEEK, artist, RCSD parent, and member of the Very Invested Parents group at The Children's Agenda
- Isabel Rosa, parent of two RCSD students, and community and parent advocacy coordinator at The Children’s Agenda
Then in our second hour, the largest landfill in the state could soon grow, pending approval from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Protection. Seneca Meadows is a 400-acre landfill with a capacity of 6,000 tons of new waste every day — most of it coming from downstate. The landfill's owners contribute millions to local government, and the landfill employs 160 full-time workers. Opponents of the landfill say enough is enough: they point to odors, quality of life, and claim that the landfill is harming local health. But the Seneca Falls Town Board recently voted to offer two forms of legal agreement for the landfill to continue to grow. Our guests bring their perspective:
- Frank Schmitter, Seneca Falls town supervisor
- Michelle Grillone, local parent
- Mark Pitifer, projects and communications administrator for Waterloo Container
- Yvonne Taylor, co-founder and vice president of Seneca Lake Guardian
*Note: "Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
