Briarcliff Hopes Second Time's a Charm

Briarcliff Manor's Board of Education and administrative team are bracing for a second try at gaining the public's approval of a 2013-14 budget. 

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Technology Stuart Mattey briefly outlined the $46,785,000 figure and 3.15 percent tax levy increase that will be up for approval Tuesday, June 18 at the board's June 11 meeting.

The district's tax levy increase limit is 3.18 percent for the coming year. 

The figure includes more than $600,000 in reductions compared to the non tax-cap compliant budget that failed to receive a supermajority voter approval on May 21. 

It does, however, include two line items that were proposed to be cut at the prior meeting, but received public resistance—funding to send a few students to the Walkabout Program and a 0.2 full-time equivalent music position at Todd Elementary School.

Board Vice President Jennifer Rosen shared those last-minute decisions at the start of Monday's meeting, adding, "Hopefully that clarifies all of the questions we have been receiving in board emails."

Mattey underscored the consequence if the budget proposal fails to receive a simple majority Tuesday. 

"The board would be required, or mandated, to pass a contingent budget, he stated. "A contingent budget is one where the tax levy is equal to the tax levy of this current year. So, therefore, a further reduction of $1.18 million would be required."

In that case, the contingent budget (which only needs to be adopted by the board), would likely eliminate an additional 4.2 full-time equivalent teaching positions, 4.0 full-time equivalent teaching assistant positions, an administrator position, an aide position, the Briarcliff Middle School modified sports program; as well impact other areas including field trips, co-curriculars and public relations. All planned equipment purchases would also likely be placed on hold to make up for the $1,184,153 deficit.

Several speakers, including students, teachers and parents, spoke out against the proposal to cut a .8 position in Briarcliff High School that would limit the writing lab availability during the 2013-14 academic year.

"This is a thriving and vital program that makes a difference across the board in student achievements which will be severely reduced," English Department Chair Jamie Mandel told the board. "It impacts the entire student body." 

Said Junior Claudia Price, "The writing lab is already overcrowded...If anything, we need more of the writing lab, not less of it."

Board Trustee Dina Brantman noted, "Last week, I expressed concern about the writing lab," and asked BHS Principal James Kaishian for clarification on the budget's impacts.

Kaishian said a total of 50 percent of the writing lab's time is proposed to be cut, leaving four periods of writing lab time every other day.

"I felt like last week things were really tough and this week things are just tougher," said Trustee Jonathan Satran.

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TUESDAY'S BUDGET VOTE IS FROM 6 A.M. TO 9 P.M. IN THE TODD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.