Board of Education Addresses What Lies Ahead

While the new school year is less than a week old, the Sayville Board of Education is focused on the future and continues to watch state and federal school aid figures that may shrink further in the coming year.

The board reviewed state aid and set the tax rate for the 2010-11 school year. Assistant Superintendent John Belmonte presented the board with the different variables that may affect the budget.

Due to the governor's cuts, the district will see a total reduction of state aid – before any federal restoration monies – of $3.1 million. Federal stimulus monies ($1.06 million) are expected to expire after the 2010-11 school year. "In setting the tax rate for 2010-11, we budgeted state aid to the wall. Actual aid may be reduced when final 2009-10 data is filed," Belmonte said. "Unless New York State or the Feds come up with additional state aid money, we will again see a reduction in state aid as we develop the 2011-12 budget."

The bottom line: "In 2009-10, we finished the year with an operating surplus of $678,805 actual revenues over expenditures," Belmonte said. "We used/reduced our fund balance reserve by $791,352. Essentially, we have enough fund balance to apply another $2.6 million or more to the 2011-12 budget to maintain the same level of fund balance monies as applied in the current year."

Sayville has shifted to more commercial (non-homestead) versus residential (homestead) this year in the town's base allocation. The district does not have any control over the base allocation, Belmonte said. While this may be good news for homeowners, it would be a hard hit for businesses in Sayville. Anticipated taxes for homestead were 5.90 percent, but actual was 3.92 percent, a decrease of 1.98 percent. For non-homestead or businesses, the anticipated tax rate was 5.90 percent, but the actual was 12.09 percent, an increase of 6.19 percent.

The board voiced some concern over the tax rates and how they would affect store owners and businesses in Sayville. Belmonte said there were options, such as working with the town assessor's office to try to level out the base allocation. "Is it necessary to introduce legislation to keep downtown viable?" he asked. The board decided a good start would be look over the rates and shifts over a 10-year period to get a more accurate overview.

Since this week marked the start of the new school year, Superintendent Dr. Walter Schartner toured the elementary schools, checking on the kindergarteners. He commended the staff for their fine efforts, adding there weren't too many tears, except for the parents. Everyone was upbeat and positive at the schools, he noted, adding there was minimal disruption due to the construction.

Schartner added that he was "very appreciative of the reception he received from the staff on his first opening to the school year as superintendent." "The focus is on the kids," he told the board. "Let's try not to focus on the negative because there is a lot of it out there and instead we should turn our attention to the children."

On Sept. 29, the board will hold a roundtable discussion with any Cherry Avenue or Sunrise Drive parents who voiced concerns about the kindergarten class sizes for this year. Schartner said that his hope is to get some ideas on the table and come up with possible remedies to make all parties involved happy.

Also during the meeting, Belmonte presented the board with an update on the bond projects and construction at the schools. At Sunrise Drive elementary school, work on the media center and multi-purpose room is complete. At Lincoln Avenue elementary school, the biggest project, with three extensions, the media center is expected to be complete by early December. New restrooms, a new art room, a renovated front office and a kindergarten suite are almost finished, with the exception of a few missing pieces. At Cherry Avenue, the new entrance is still under construction as is the media center. Work on that building was a bit slower and the media center is expected to be completed by Feb. 1. At the high school, the cafeteria – complete with a food court-like style and new versatile tables – is complete. The wellness center has had the foundation poured by is still awaiting the steel. It should be complete by Feb. 1 as well.

The next board of education meeting is scheduled for September 16 at 8 p.m.