School district retirees recognized, proposed budget for 2016-2017 presented

Retirees recognized

Last night’s Riverhead Board of Education meeting honored two retiring staff members, Elizabeth Deluca and Alice Kubacki.

Deluca, who was unable to attend the meeting, retired as a school transportation assistant on Jan. 23 after 16 years of service.

Kubacki will retire effective Feb. 27 after 25 years as an administrative assistant from Pupil Personnel Service.

First 2016-2017 Proposed Budget Presentation

Superintendent Nancy Carney presented the first of the district’s budget presentations Tuesday evening. The district faces a tax cap levy of .12 percent, which after exemptions will results in an approximate final tax cap of .50 percent, which means that the overall levy will increase by no more than $483,928 over the 2015-2016 budget.

The focus of the first presentation was on General Support, Benefits and Debt Service. The General Support budget includes the Board of Education, Central Administration, Auditing, Data Processing, District Insurance and BOCES Administration. The General Support budget is slated for an increase of .31 percent or $11,804.

The Benefits budget includes the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) and the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) which are state mandated programs. Additionally the district provides health insurance, unemployment benefits and worker’s compensation coverage. The Benefits budget shows an overall increase of 2.65 percent, or $744,468.

The district has existing debt obligations which include capital work approved by voters in 1999 and 2011 as well as bus purchases made annually. Additionally, the district has obligations to repay money borrowed under the Energy Performance Contract. The debt increase for the 2016-2017 budget amounts to 19.48 percent, or $1,202,821.

The total budget increase presented amounted to an increase of 5.15 percent or $1,959,093. The full presentation will be available on the district’s website. The district’s future budget presentations are as follows:

• March 8: Regular Day School Budget, Transportation, Facilities
• March 22: Special Education, PPS, Guidance, and Other Instructional Items
• April 13: Revenues and Projected Tax Levy and BOE Adoption of Proposed Budget
• May 10: Public Hearing on Proposed Budget
• May 17: Budget Vote from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at local polling locations

Board of Education approves New York State School Board Association

The Board voted to renew its membership with NYSSBA at a cost of $11,272.

Board member Christopher Dorr expressed concern that the cost outweighed the benefits of membership, citing that in his opinion much of the resources can be found through online searches.

Board President Susan Koukounas, Vice President Amelia Lantz and member Anne Cotten-Degrasse expressed their opinion that the association provides a number of resources which Cotten-Degrasse described as an “immeasurable help.”

The motion carried with Dorr casting the lone dissenting vote and member Gregory Meyer absent.