School Board To

Meet Wednesday

RIPLEY — The Ripley Central School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the cafeteria of the Ripley Central School. Social distancing will be practiced and masks must be worn for those attending.

President’s Task Force Formed

In responding to the call for social awareness made over the summer, SUNY Jamestown Community College President Daniel DeMarte has formed a President’s Task Force on diversity, equity and inclusion in a college-wide effort to promote those ideals. “Through the establishment of this task force, we hope to reiterate JCC’s commitment to creating a campus community that embraces and responds to an increasingly diverse and globalized world,” DeMarte said. “It is with this in mind that we aim to celebrate the identities and experiences of our students, faculty, and staff while recognizing that valuing our differences makes us stronger.” The task force, made up of campus stakeholders with representation from students, faculty, staff and administration, will meet monthly to align campus efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion. Simone Sellstrom, director of the media, visual and performing arts department, will chair the task force. Donald Pool, coordinator of accessibility services, will serve as vice chair.

School Budget Work Session Set For CVCS

SINCLAIRVILLE — The Cassadaga Valley Central School Board will hold a budget work session at 6 p.m. Monday in the middle-high school multi-purpose room. A public hearing for the Smart Schools Investment Plan will be held at 7:15 p.m. The regular monthly meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Social distancing will be enforced.

Water District

To Convene

SHERIDAN — The administrative board of the North Chautauqua County Water District will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Sheridan Community Building, 2773 Route 20, Sheridan, The meeting is open to the public and subject to current COVID-19 guidelines.

Snap Benefits Will Increase

All New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will see a 15% boost when their regular monthly food benefits are issued, as part of an increase that will continue through June. In addition, those households not already receiving the maximum allowable benefits will receive a supplemental allotment later this month to bring them to this level for February. All SNAP recipients will see a 15% increase to their normal level of benefits this month. Federal legislation adopted in December provides for this increase to continue each month through June. In January, SNAP recipients received the additional 15% as a separate issuance, as federal legislation authorizing the increase was not approved in time to include the additional amount as part of the regular SNAP benefits. Additionally, about half of all households receiving SNAP in New York will receive the emergency benefits for February. The added food benefits are distributed to those SNAP households that do not ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month, which is now $234 for an individual and $782 for a family of four.

The emergency assistance supplement will be distributed during the second week of February and continue through the end of the month. As with the prior months, the payments will be delivered directly to recipients’ existing Electronic Benefit Transfer account and can be accessed with their existing EBT card. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will be automatically carried over to the following month.