District Holds Third Budget Hearing

 students from both the  and received standing ovations and loud rounds of applause at Tuesday's Port Washington School board meeting at . The cheers celebrated big wins for the students, each team having placed first in county competitions earlier this month. 

Winning “would not be possible” without “school-wide enrichment for those in PEP and not,” Julia Ruskin, a high scorer from the Math Olympiads team, said during community comments in the earlier part of the meeting.

Her statement seemingly set the stage for the evening as the district continues to grapple with possible program cuts in its quest to keep within the New York State tax cap. A budget hearing, the district’s third, and discussion about a bond proposition, were some of the evening’s highlights.

During the bond hearing, Mary Callahan, the district’s assistant superintendent for business, said the district is still looking at eliminating a total of eight positions – three elementary/middle school teachers, three pep teachers (.5 at each elementary and .5 middle school), two high school teachers, and 69 units.

Under the current plan the 2012-13 school budget would see a 2.07 percent increase, falling within the tax levy capital limit of 2.13 percent. The full presentation of the current recommendations are posted on the district's website.   

Bill Hohauser, the board's vice president, expressed concerns about maintaining third teams when "PEP is not fully restored" and the elementary schools lacked full library services.

During community comments, Port Washington volunteers Bert Tobin and Jim Ansel, local construction experts, spoke about their experience in reviewing the need for capital improvements, including roofwork at Weber. While the board considered a bond request of $7.98 million, Ansel said masonry work and various contingencies could be completed for $5 million. 

Richard Sussman, a former school board member, said that during an earlier round of capital improvements in 2001, there was a $5 million surplus. "Where'd it go?" he asked. 

Addressing that comment later in the evening, Superintendant Dr. Geoffrey Gordon said it was "disingenuous or inaccurate" to imply that $5 million was missing. He added that in 2001 there was a b-list, allowing work at the track and part of the Sousa roof. "This bond will not have a b-list," he said.  

Thanking Tobin and Ansel for volunteering their expertise, Bob Ryan, a school board member, noted that "if the specs are done right," the bids that come in would be "the critical number."

The board voted in favor of putting a bond to a community vote on May 15, the same day as the budget vote. School board member Dr. Roy Nelson abstained, concerned that its timing may not be right to assure its passage. The board had looked at holding the bond vote separately, but as board member Alan Baer noted, "the costs of running a second election" could be directed instead to programs. 

During the second community comments session, Cheryl Litman, a parent with young children, while referring to the math and science olympiad winners, said she worried that "the opportunities for my son" won't be there, fearing program cuts and overcrowded classrooms.

Port Washington Teachers' Association President Christine Vasilev noted that in 2010 teachers agreed to receive a zero increase in base salary during their first year with no retroactive pay raise for the 2009-10 school year, a first for Long Island. "At zero we were the hero," she said. "Suddenly we are seen as the enemy," she added, referring to statements about teachers' compensation.

As for "where are the teachers" comments regarding sentiments about shared sacrifice, she said, "We're coming forward with proposals" that are "mutually beneficial," adding, "Our door is open."