Sewanhaka faces staff cuts: Ferrie

Richard Tedesco

Sewanhaka Superintendent of Schools Ralph Ferrie presented a somber picture for the central high school district’s 2014-15 budget at Tuesday night’s Sewanhaka school board meeting, with the prospect of cutting as many as 20 teaching positions to comply with this year’s 1.56 percent state-mandated tax cap.

The $178.22 million budget Ferrie introduced represents a 3.75 percent increase of $6.4 million, maintaining all district jobs and programs in the current $171.78 million budget. Ferrie said $4.1 million must be cut to meet the tax cap. He said a $178.22 million budget would push the district tax levy up 4.7 percent by $6.2 million to $140 million.

“Here we are looking at a dismal budget season,” he said. “I keep hearing the governor talking about the two percent tax cap and that’s the furthest from the truth.”

Kevin O’Brien, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, said to stay within the 1.56 percent limit, the projected district tax levy would rise to $135.9 million, over the current $133.8 million levy. O’Brien said the levy increase limit is tied to the rise in the consumer price index.

Among prospective cuts, Ferrie said eliminating 20 teaching positions districtwide would translate to a savings of approximately $2 million in salary and benefits. Elimination of an assistant principal position in one of the five district high schools – through an anticipated retirement – would represent a savings of approximately $250,000 with salary, benefits and elimination of a secretarial position as well. Ferrie said two retirements are anticipated at this point.

Combination of art and music chair positions in each of the district high schools is also being considered along with further reductions in clerical staff and teaching assistant positions, he said. New BOCES “twilight” GED and alternative school programs would be located at Floral Park Memorial High School to reduce costs. He said other potential cuts include reducing software costs and a 10 percent reduction in school supply orders. 

Ferrie said the district has been fortunate the past two years in eliminating jobs largely through “attrition and creativity.” Last year, he said 17.6 teaching positions were cut districtwide, along with 4.6 teaching assistant positions and five clerical staff jobs, correlating to $2.58 million in budget cuts. 

“When you have a 1.56 percent cap, something has to give,” Ferrie said. “We are going to make every attempt in the district to maintain student programs.”

But in response to a question from Sewanhaka Trustee Joseph Armocida about a projected increase in class sizes next year, Ferrie said it would be a “struggle” to not cut some elective classes.

Ferrie said the district faces major fixed costs, including a projected increased in the Teacher Retirement System of 17.53 percent from the current 16.25 percent and an Employee Retirement System increase of 20.1 percent, down from the current 20.9 percent. Total cost of employee benefits in the initial budget presented would rise 10.8 percent year-to-year to $47.7 million from $43 

Salaries of all current district positions would rise 1.8 percent year-to-year to $98.34 million from $96.55 million.

“We’ve got to look at utilizing retirements. I don’t think anybody wants to reduce staff,” said Sewanhaka school board President David Fowler.

He said he anticipated the school board faced a “difficult, difficult negotiation” with the Sewanhaka Teachers Association when the teachers current contract expires at the end of the current school year.

On revenues, Ferrie said the district anticipated receiving $28 million in state education aid for the 2014-15 budget based on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal, a $202,614 increase from $27.8 million in the current budget.

He said the Sewanhaka district would apply a budget surplus of $5 million and $3 million from its reserve fund, as it did in the current budget. Local revenue of $1.65 million would remain the same year-to-year. 

Ferrie said the district also tentatively plans to budget for $838,943 in capital projects, including $246,424 for New Hyde Park Memorial High School to paint the gym and replace its ceiling and replace the school’s windows on the building’s west side. At Floral Park Memorial High School, a cost of $65,185 is estimated to sand, paint and refinish the gym and install handicap ramps at the school.

“We’re in a big hole,” said Sewanhaka school board Vice President David Del Santo. “And the governor is not our friend. He talks a good game, but he comes up empty.”

Ferrie said he would be in Albany this week to lobby state legistators for more state aid for the district and posing the questions, “When will it end? When will you stop negatively impacting students?”

In other developments:

• The Ad Hoc Committee advising the school board on revising the $99.5 million capital improvements bond for a second vote among district voters will meet in the Sewanhaka High School auditorium on March 4 at 7 p.m. The bond proposal was rejected by voters in a ballot in early December. A revamped bond proposal would have to be presented for consideration two months before the school district election on May 20.

• The district music festival, postponed twice due to adverse weather, will be held at Sewanhaka High School on April 8.

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