School projects 2.21 % rise in expenses for 2010-2011


Teachers and Playground Committee members (left to right) Jenn Rylott and Michelle Rice and playground designer Fred Druck of Playworx explain the new playground’s layout.

“And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” said School Business Official Sam Schneider at the fifth budget workshop on March 11. “The bottom line.” The school projects that next year’s expenditure budget will be $9,741,373, up approximately $215,000 from this year’s (a 2.21-percent increase). This figure is still subject to change as the board continues to refine the budget.


This bottom line is the culmination of the school’s budget workshops to date, a series of meetings designed to transparently compile the budget with input from both the board and the Shelter Island community. At the most recent workshop last Thursday, the school’s new playground, truck replacement and government grants were central topics of discussion.


PLAYGROUND


One of the school’s major new projects, its playground renovation, won’t cost taxpayers any additional money. The $135,800 job will be funded entirely through the Capital Reserve Fund, which was established by Shelter Island voters in May of 2006 to pay for specific types of school projects.


In May of last year, voters passed Proposition 3, which added playground renovations to the list of acceptable uses for the reserve funds. At last Tuesday’s regular School Board meeting, the board approved putting an additional proposition on the upcoming May ballot. It will ask voters to allow the district to spend $135,800 from the Capital Reserve Fund for the renovations (for more School Board, see page 6).


The renovation needs to be in the upcoming budget, says special education teacher and Playground Committee member Michelle Rice. NYSIR (New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal) will no longer insure the 26-year-old wooden structure due to its structural cracks, so it needs to be replaced. Furthermore, the playground’s pea gravel base is not handicapped accessible. 


The new playground is designed for a variety of ages and will provide accessibility for all students. It will also be about 10 feet further away from the FIT Center than the current playground, which will make kids safer from passing vehicles and allow for potential expansion of the building, said Board President Rebecca Mundy. Work is expected to begin on July 6 and be completed by August 31.


NEW TRUCK


Mr. Schneider and Maintenance Chief Jim Rogers described some of the options for replacing the current 1995 Ford F150 school truck, which they said has become unreliable. The two proposed a Ford F450 at the previous budget workshop, which would cost $11,282 per year for four years and drew questions about whether such an expensive truck would be appropriate.


With a more powerful truck than the current F150, Mr. Rogers said at the March 15 workshop, the district would be able to purchase and pick up its own clay, mulch and top soil in bulk and avoid delivery charges, reduce the number of trips to the dump, and generate revenue by delivering scrap metal (old lockers) to an off-Island scrap yard. 


A Ford F350 would cost $7,946 per year for four years, compared to a Ford F250 priced at $7,718 per year for four years. Both would not incur any extra cost on the ferry, unlike the Ford F450. Mr. Schneider said the F350 “offers the options to the maintenance department Jim is looking for.” The tentative budget includes the cost of the F350 truck.


GOVERNMENT GRANTS


The school projects it will receive just under $125,000 in federal grants, primarily for academic instructional support and salaries, professional development, materials and supplies, equipment and contractual services. This would be about $20,800 less than the school projected for 2009-2010, a drop of approximately 14 percent.


Governor David Paterson’s proposed state budget would provide far fewer funds for the district’s summer special aid programs than this year’s, leaving the school to cover 90 percent of the cost, as opposed to this year’s 20 percent. If his budget is passed by the State Legislature, the district will pay $57,734 of next year’s projected $64,149 cost of the programs, an increase of about 477 percent from this year’s $10,000 contribution. A full review of state aid will be presented at the next budget workshop.


Though few audience members have attended the meetings to date, some folks are likely watching from home — this year, the workshops are being broadcast on Channel 22. Check the “Channel 22” tab of the town website to view broadcast times.


To view the Powerpoint slides that were presented during the workshops, click on the business tab on the school website and look for the “Budget Workshop” files at the bottom of the page.


The board encourages those with questions to contact Ms. Clifford at 749-0302, extension 408, or by email at [email protected]; or Mr. Schneider at 749-0302, extension 537, or by email at [email protected].


The school’s revenue projections and a contingency overview will be presented at the next workshop on March 25, and a budget review and final alternations presented at the April 8 workshop. The budget must be approved by the board by the end of its April 19 session.