No Public Comments On Clarkstown School Budget

No one spoke at the public hearing Thursday on the proposed Clarkstown school budget for 2013-2014. The $195,142,980 represents an increase of more than $14 million over the current spending plan. The proposed budget would result in a tax levy increase of 2.9 percent and uses $11.3 million from reserve funds to close the budget gap between expenses and revenues.

Superintendent Dr. J. Thomas Morton said he and Assistant Superintendent John LaNave have been presenting the proposed budget to different groups and organizations on a daily basis.  

“The message we’ve been giving everybody is we’re pleased with the budget and think it’s fiscally sound,” he said. 

Board President Joe Malgieri said the budget has been well received by the community. Board member Robert Carlucci described it as a great budget. Malgieri urged people to vote.  The budget vote and trustee election take place on Tuesday, May 21.  Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Clarkstown North High School, Congers, Link and West Nyack elementary schools. Carlucci and board member Diane Hoeneveld are running for re-election and do not have opponents.

With next year's budget total already set, a majority of board members voted to shift funds around so an additional 28 students could attend BOCES programs. This year 90 Clarkstown high school students are enrolled in the program although the district initially anticipated 102 students.  A rollover of the 102 slots was set for next fall but 130 students indicated interest in the program.  The additional cost of approximately $9,800 per student is $275,000 more than included in the proposed budget.

“I’m certainly in favor of trying to find the money,” said Malgieri.

A motion to cover the cost by moving funds from the high schools’ budgets drew four votes in favor and three abstentions.

Board member Wendy Adolff said she would like to know where the money is coming from before deciding.

“I don’t really want to vote on this, I don’t have enough information,” she said.

Morton and LaNave both said there really was not time to postpone the decision because high school students were preparing their class schedules for next year and BOCES was determining its staffing needs. LaNave said he would have a recommendation for the next board meeting. 

LaNave said, “There are a lot of implications to changing the number.”

After the vote, board member Chris Conti said, “We can tell students tomorrow they are going (to BOCES). That’s a good thing.”