East Williston School District residents passed a proposed $54.38 million budget for 2013-14 by a nearly 3-1 margin margin, and approved a budget proposition to establish a capital projects fund by a narrower margin.
The school district budget drew 631 votes in favor and 222 votes against. The budget proposition, framed as a five-year fund not to exceed $3 million, passed with 512 voters in favor and 169 opposed.
“I’m extremely pleased the budget passed. I was confident that the community would understand and want to support the many capital needs that a district such as ours could have and vote yes on the opportunity to fund it through the capital reserve rather than other vehicles such as a bond that would bring additional costs for the taxpayer,” said Mark Kamberg, president of the East Williston Board of Education.
He said the 77 percent of East Williston district residents voting for the budget “speaks volumes about how our community believes in and supports education.”
Voters also showed support for incumbent trustees David Keefe and Barbara Slone running for re-election in uncontested races. Keefe drew 579 votes and Slone drew 558 votes.
The budget, a 3.14 percent increase over the $52.72 million budget for 2012-13, calls for the elimination of nine positions, including two teachers, to curb district costs. The projected 2013-14 district tax levy is $50.97 million, a 3.21 percent increase over the current $49.38 million budget. That increase is under the state-mandated tax cap, according to Jacqueline Fitzpatrick, assistant superintendent for business.
Fitzpatrick has said the elimination of the nine positions would save $800,000 in salaries and benefits. The positions to be eliminated include two teaching positions, five teaching assistants, a custodian and an audio-visual clerical position. The district is also realizing a savings of $400,00 based on eight teachers in the district’s elementary and secondary schools accepting retirement incentives of $20,000 each, according to Fitzpatrick.
In a presentation at the board’s April 3 meeting, Financial Advisory Committee spokesman Steve Leccese said the committee recommends the board commit its current 2012-13 budget of $785,000 to seed the capital reserve fund.
In response to another recommendation from the Financial Advisory Committee, the school board increased a capital maintenance line in the 2013-14 budget from $225,000 to $525,00.
Keefe and Slone won second three-year terms on the board. They also won their seats in uncontested elections the first time around.
Keefe retired from a 37-year career as a middle school social studies teacher in the Hempstead School District in 2004. He has served as the retired teacher board member on the board of directors for the state teacher retirement system since 2004. He will complete his third term on that board this year and is seeking re-election to another term.
Slone has been chief nurse practitioner at the Newborn Intensive Care Unit of Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola since 2004. She has also served as a mentor for neonatal nurse practitioners students at SUNY Stony Brook since 1995.
