Northport Board of Ed Scrutinizes Proposed Budget

In a marathon work session Monday, March 21 which lasted until nearly 12:30 a.m., the Northport Board of Education examined the 2011-12 $151,178,758 budget, which proposes a 1.98% tax rate per $100 of assessed value for residents.  

Unlike in previous years, this report was created through a program called Finance Manager, and sorted using a function format rather than a program format. The new system, currently in use by other districts in New York, automatically calculates both budget and percentage changes, which saves time and reduces the chance of clerical errors, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Kathleen Molander.

She and Superintendent Marylou McDermott addressed a few questions which arose due to the new format. Trustee Andrew Rapiejko noted the use of zeros throughout many of the line items. Molander said they were a carryover from codes in the old system which hadn't been used.

A few glitches were noted as well. Budget code 1311, “Other Day School” in the amount of $207, 248, was mapped incorrectly from the old system and is actually  “Business Administration.”

Dr. Nina Dorata, a member of United Taxpayers of Northport-East Northport questioned the “expenditures to date” column, and Molander said those amounts were current through the end of February. Dorata also noted that the exact number of staff positions per line item was no longer included – a shortcoming, she felt, of the new system.

Armand D’Accordo, also of UTNEN, asked when the Excel format would be available, and McDermott said it would be posted on the district’s website once the budget is final.

Questions from the trustees and the public ranged from equipment purchases and security to salaries and maintenance of the fields. 

Non-Educational Equipment – Legislative
In an effort to reduce paper and save wear-and-tear on copying machines, a new wireless conference system and projectors would be purchased for use at the Board of Ed meetings held in the  William J. Brosnan School cafeteria at a cost of $20,000.  Molander said that the public would be able to view documents on a SMART board at meetings, and could also bring copies of documents printed at home.

Legal Services
The budget shows a proposed increase of $25,000 to $350,000.  Board President Steven Waldenburg asked for a breakdown of costs for Ingerman Smith, the district’s legal counsel. Molander said the retainer fee increased from $54,000 to $55,620 and non-retainer fees inched upward from $185/hour to $195/hour.

Resident Joseph Sabia asked if there had been any consideration given to hiring an in-house attorney for $200,000. Waldenburg replied he felt the costs would be much higher given the benefits that would be incurred through the hiring of a full-time employee. East Northport resident Albert Prisco expressed dissatisfaction with the firm’s handling of contract negotiations with United Teachers of Northport and was told that arbitration is non-binding.

Another resident asked if legal services had ever been competitively bid. Waldenburg replied that the district does use other law firms from time to time but said that he felt that the Board was happy with the services that Ingerman Smith has provided.

Staff - Greeters
There was some discussion of the expenses for greeters at each school, with Trustee Lori McCue noting that no monies were budgeted for greeters at either Northport Middle School  or East Northport Middle School. Molander said that was because security was already provided in the form of a guard. McDermott also noted that it would be difficult to place a greeter at Northport Middle School given the layout of the building.

Operations - OT Transportation
The proposed budget calls for $26,472, but expenditures to date already total nearly $50,000. Molander explained that the district does not receive state aid for transportation for class or athletic trips. She said it would be offset by transfers from other funds.

Non-Educational Equipment - Operations & Maintenance
The proposed budget calls for an increase of $50,500 to $52,000.  Security Supervisor Nolan Briggs explained that this was for an upgrade to the Dickinson Avenue School’s security system; a phone system at the high school so vendors can announce their arrival and doors can be opened remotely; the addition of cameras in various “dead zones” throughout the high school; the installation of a swing gate at East Northport Middle School to prevent people from going to the back of the property or climbing up on the roof; new radios; and a video system for the loading dock at the Brosnan Administration Building.

Resident Joseph Sabia asked Briggs about security at Northport High School, and noted that he knew of an incident in which two people who were not students were allowed to enter the building at the end of the day.  Briggs noted that one of the individuals was recognized by a security guard as a former student, but that the new policy is not to allow anyone in the building who is not a current student. Sabia also wanted to know how long data in the security cameras is saved, and Briggs said 30-60 days.

Water - Op and Maint Utilities
Ocean Avenue Elementary School and the Brosnan building will be charged $1700 and $2300 respectively by the Village of Northport for

Electric – Op and Maint Utilities
Prisco asked about the status of the district’s exploration of . Waldenburg said that the district was also talking to another vendor in addition to Mercury Solar Systems.

Maintenance of  Grounds
Waldenburg asked about the state of the playing fields at the high school. Athletic Director Drew Cronin said that they were holding up pretty well thanks in  part to the installation of inground sprinklers, but that the practice fields take a beating. The middle school fields also need work, he said.

Molander noted that there is currently $1.4 million in the capital reserve fund but use of that money would need to be put to a vote. Prisco asked if some of the $22 million currently being held in all reserves could be used to improve the fields, and Dorata asked the board to find out if some of the funds could be reclassified for that purpose.

Sabia asked if youth organizations pay a fee to use the districts’ fields. Cronin said only if they use a gymnasium over the weekend, for which they are charged for custodial overtime. Sabia pressed the point of charging, but McNaughton noted that new board policy says that not-for-profit organizations don’t get charged.

Administrator Salary - Art Education
The increase from zero to $159,865 is for a new District Chairperson of Art, to replace Peter Falotico who retired last year.  Molander said the district is hoping to hire someone in a month or so, but Sabia questioned the need to fill the position if the district has been able to do without. He asked if a teacher would be able to fulfill the duties if given a stipend. “Teachers are supposed to teach,” Waldenburg replied, and McDermott clarified that the salary figure also included benefits.

Resident Sheila Whitlow noted the increases to administrator salaries in the range of 6-7%, but pointed out the lack of increases for clerical staff. McDermott replied that sometimes the increases are contractual, adding “We have allotted in this budget what the District believes are appropriate increases.”

Another resident asked about the current state of negotiations with the teachers’ union, which has gone to mediation. Waldenburg said he was expecting an update from the negotiating team shortly. UTN-EN member Fred Trudwig asked where money is put in the budget to cover employee expenses which, in the case of the ongoing negotiations, is unclear. “If we were to put numbers there, it would end the negotiating process,” McDermott replied.

Waldenburg agreed. “There are limits to what we can itemize at this time. You’re asking us to be fiscally prudent and responsible with your money. Whatever isn’t utilized comes back to the community.”

“Fair enough,” Trudwig replied.

Resident Joe Stewart asked if reserve money can be used to pay retroactive raises. Gannon said the unreserved fund is for one-time emergency espenses only, such as the loss of revenue. McDermott said that the money earmarked in the reserves for certain purposes can only be used that way.

Stewart said that a union leader had told him that he thought he could receive reserve money as back pay. “I want to hear that no money will be used as back pay,” Stewart said. “It’s disgraceful.”

SEPTA President-Elect Tammie Topel, also planning to run for a seat on the Board of Education, asked if there was a bargaining unit for administrators. Waldenburg said yes, and added that they had taken a pay freeze which will end with the 20-2012 budget.  Molander noted that $185,168 was saved through the salary freeze, and that eight people would have been eligible to receive a step increase.

“But when they took the pay freeze, you extended the contract,” Sabia pointed out. A clearly irritated Trustee McNaughton replied that all but two units accepted a pay freeze. “It’s a big deal when someone opens up their existing contract. That should be embraced by this community.” She added, “I think we’re going to be much more successful if we don’t pit ourselves against each other.”

BOCES Services - DW Instructor Lead
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Administration Matthew Nelson said the $724,596 in the budget, which decreased by approximately $4,000 from the previous year, was for BOCES costs including Project Lead the Way training to bring the pre-engineering program to the middle school level. The majority of the cost is IT support, of which 36% is returned to the district.

Molander noted that Governor Andrew Cuomo is considering eliminating all BOCES aid for non-instructional shared services in the 2012-13 budget, including such things as Finance Manager and certain transportation costs.

Teacher Salaries
Vice President Karen Wills asked if there had been any changes to staffing in order to keep the 1.98% tax increase. McDermott confirmed there have been no reductions and said that there would be monies available in the event additional teachers were needed. “Staffing is a twelve-month process,” she said, noting the difficulty in making decisions based on a fluctuating population as students move into and out of the district.

Given the more stringent cut scores in state tests, Rapiejko asked if the district had the funds available in the event there is a surge in AIS students once this year’s scores come back in July.  “I believe we do,” McDermott replied.

Student Achievements in Music
In non-budget related news, Izzet Mergen, Director of Music Education K-12 introduced Julie Falango, Music Department Student of the Month. Falango is involved in Symphonic Winds, Symphony Orchestra, IB Music and Pit Orchestra, as well as the Northport High School Chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society where she helps to provide free music tutoring for Northport-East Northport elementary school students in preparation for their NYSSMA solos.

Mergen also gave an overview of the Music Department’s instructional initiatives.  A PDF of the presentation is attached to this article.

Future Meetings
The second half of the budget workshop to examine line-by-line items will take place on Monday, March 28 at 7:30 PM in the Northport High School large cafeteria.

The preliminary public hearing on the proposed budget will take place on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 PM in the large cafeteria as well.