Last Updated: March 3, 2010

Locust Valley Central School District Budget Meeting Update

• Adam Grohman

A large contingent of community members attended the first public meeting held to discuss the annual budget process by the Locust Valley Central School District Board of Education on Tuesday, February 23. Board of Education President Jack Dolce explained the current fiscal situation of the school district and the looming fiscal crisis. Though the Locust Valley Central School District recently received “top marks” and was one of only 39 school districts statewide that was honored for positive audits for their school budgets and financial processes after the completion of a five year audit completed by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the district is still faced with a daunting challenge in the coming year. The high marks place the district in a much better fiscal position than many neighboring school districts. But, despite the high marks and ranking against other districts, with dwindling funds from New York State, a plight that all school districts within the state are now facing to varying degrees of severity, the Locust Valley Central School District is still facing a bumpy financial road ahead. The Board of Education is hoping to reach a consensus with community members on how to best put forth a budget for vote on May 18, without over-taxing the already heavily financially-burdened community.
Superintendent Dr. Anna Hunderfund outlined the school district’s budget planning goals and the goal to “present a responsible, minimal budget,” to the community. She said that dealing with the continuously shifting financial situation, the board is forced to make several assumptions including “no additional cuts in federal funding, no additional cuts in state aid, no additional shifts in funded mandates, no enrollment increases, no exceptional, unanticipated expenditures or emergencies, and no additional unfunded mandates.” The district, as Hunderfund explained, has already been plagued, as have all school districts to varying degrees, with a damaging amount of unanticipated state aid losses or cuts.
Based on the available information at the time of the February 23 BOE meeting, two budget shortfall predictions were outlined. The budget shortfall before the governor’s current proposals would amount to a total of $5,012,553. If the governor’s proposals pass, the district will be faced with a $5.3 million dollar shortfall which is represented with a 31% loss in state aid, 33% increase in unfunded mandates, and a 6% increase in fixed costs. To combat the shortfall, Hunderfund explained a host of areas that have already been put into place to effectively manage the forced financial situation. The district is “refinancing a bond, pursuing energy savings, entering in a multi-year, negotiated, contract for transportation costs, actively pursuing alternate fund resources, applying for Medicaid reimbursement payments, reducing expenditures, eliminating positions, consolidating services, and extending inter-municipal agreements.”
Hunderfund further outlined that the goal of the district and board was to work with the community to develop a fiscally sound budget for the May 18 vote. She explained that if the budget fails, the school district, as mandated by the state, will be forced to either accept the 0% contingency, or to authorize a new budget vote that would provide the opportunity for a higher or lower budget. If the second budget is voted upon and fails, the district would have no recourse and would have to accept the 0% contingency which would lead to drastic cuts throughout the district.
If the zero-contingency budget is implemented, it could include the end of “all capital projects and non-essential maintenance, no support for the school lunch program, no replacement of school buses, no non-instructional equipment, no support for the summer recreation program, limited school supplies (forcing the supplies to be provided by the student’s family or guardian), no pro-bono or reduced fees for use of facilities by community groups, and the end of the driver’s education program.” There could be “significant class size increase, significant staff reductions (up to 50 faculty members), elimination of non-required subjects and classes, a reduction of current student transportation services, elimination of non-mandated support services, elimination of inter-scholastic sports, elimination of extra-curricular activities, elimination of non-mandated pupil personnel services, elimination of community services, continuing education program and the remedial summer programs.”
Maintaining the current class size, extra-curricular activities, intramurals, and sports programs, highlighted the top priorities, as members of the audience outlined that each of the components provided the much needed aspects to a well-rounded educational experience. Areas that were identified as possible areas to find savings included limiting the number of teaching assistants, increasing class size by one or two students at most, and to review administrative positions to determine if there were any that could be eliminated.
As the gray clouds of the financial crisis loom in the distance and represent possible further cuts in state aid and unfunded mandates, the ever-present zero -contingency fear also remains a possible reality for the district.
Following is the timetable for the remainder of the annual school district vote discussions:

Wednesday, March 10/7:30 p.m.
Middle School Mini-Theatre Public Budget Forum II

Tuesday, March 23/7:30 p.m.
Locust Valley Intermediate School Regular Board of Education Meeting

Thursday, April 8/7:30 p.m.
Middle School Mini-Theatre Public Budget Forum III

Monday, April 19/5:00p.m.
Administration Building
Deadline for
submission of Nominating Petitions

Tuesday, April 20/6:30 p.m.
Bayville Intermediate School District Budget Adoption
Approval of Property Tax Report Card

Tuesday, May 4/7:30 p.m.
Middle School Mini-Theatre

Annual Public Budget Hearing
Saturday, May 8
Administration Building
Special Voter Registration 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 18
District Polling Places*
ANNUAL BUDGET VOTE & SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

Residents are reminded that continuous voter registration is available 9:00a.m. –4:00 p.m. in the office of the district clerk throughout the school year. Please note that Tuesday May 11, 2010 is the last day to register for the May 18 Budget Vote and Election of Board Members.

 

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