After two school budget workshops, no clear answers yet

The Shelter Island Board of Education is looking at proposed budget figures that would result in no cutbacks in teaching staff or educational programs and stay within the state-mandated 2 percent tax cap. But district officials are playing it close to the vest, releasing only partial numbers after two of three planned budget workshops have been held.

Only partial proposed budget figures have been made public to date, so it’s not yet possible to show a full comparison of the proposed budget with the current school year spending plan of $9.6 million.

No decisions have been made about cuts in co-curricular activities — those clubs that are educational in nature, but not part of the school’s actual curriculum. It’s still unclear whether entire programs might be eliminated or across-the-board rollbacks will be made while keeping all such activities alive, Superintendent Michael Hynes said. He has called for a 15 percent cutback in spending on co-curricular activities and a 7 percent rollback in what the district has been spending on sports programs.

While acknowledging that all classrooms need equipment and supplies, Dr. Hynes told the board, and 16 people who attended the Feb. 29 budget meeting, that the district “will have to do more with less.”

Allocations for equipment, contractual expenses and materials and supplies will have to be reduced by 10 percent to comply with the 2 percent property tax cap, Dr. Hynes said.

Both at public meetings and in behind-the-scenes conversations with staff and board members, Dr. Hynes said he would continue to shape the budget proposal that will be subject to another public meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 12 when the superintendent will outline anticipated costs for operations and maintenance of the building, auditing and legal costs and various administrative functions, including the Board of Education and district clerk.

The Board of Education plans to formally adopt a budget on April 18, the last date on which any changes can be made, even though  there’s a May 7 public hearing to outline the plan. The budget vote is May 15.

For a full story on how the budget is shaping up for the 2012-13 school year, see the Reporter on March 8.