Voting on school, library budgets, trustees Tuesday

Residents in the Hewlett-Woodmere and Lawrence school districts can go to the polls on Tuesday and vote for the proposed budgets and Board of Education trustees. In addition, they can cast ballots on the budgets and trustees of the Hewlett-Woodmere and Peninsula libraries.

Hewlett-Woodmere
The school district is proposing a $116.5 million budget for the 2017-18 school year that includes a .95 percent spending increase from the current $115.4 million fiscal plan. For the second consecutive year, the district is not planning to increase the tax levy — the amount of money the district raises through local property taxes.

“We’re using other sources, other than tax levy, to find the money to cover that increase,” Louis Frontario, assistant superintendent for business in the Hewlett-Woodmere School District, said.

Taxpayers are also being asked to vote on two other propositions. One is to allow the district to spend $14.1 million for heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades at Hewlett High School; improving the field and installing parking lot lights, bleachers and storage at Woodmere Middle School; a PlayScape and library media center upgrade at Ogden Elementary School; window replacement at Franklin Early Childhood Center and Woodmere Education Center; and technology wiring at Hewlett and Ogden elementary schools. The other would authorize the district to establish a new capital reserve, not to exceed $40 million over 10 years for renovations and improvements in the schools.

Trustees Scott McInnes, and Cheryl May are both running unopposed for their third three-year term.

H-W library
The proposed 2017-2018 budget for the library is $6,358,606, an increase of $65,106 from the 2015-2016 fiscal plan. The modest increase will pay for a few capital improvements and array of items ranging from books and electronic material to cultural programs.

Trustee Shari Braverman is running unchallenged for another five-year term.

Lawrence
The proposed budget for next school year is $100.78 million with a 1.26 tax increase. The district is slated to lose a combined $465,000 in state aide and PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) revenue, while having to pay a payroll increase of $650,000 and a $670,000 jump in medical benefits. Officials said that no educational programs will be affected.

“By making difficult decisions over the last 10 years, we are now in a strong financial position to maintain and even improve programs and services as needed and upgrade our buildings,” said Superintendent Gary Schall.

There are also two propositions on the ballot. One asks voters to authorize a transfer of up to $2 million of unexpended, unreserved funds to the capital reserve fund for upgrades to the high school restrooms, middle school auditorium, both schools’ hallways, electric work at the middle school, districtwide lighting, and roof replacement and site work at the middle school. The other would facilitate a transfer of up to $3.3 million of unreserved money to the capital reserve fund for the same improvements.

Trustee Dr. Asher Mansdorf is opposed by Asher Matathias. Incumbent Murray Forman is unopposed. All terms are three years.

Peninsula library
The proposed 2017-2018 budget for PPL is $2,943,460. While administrative expenses such as membership dues remain the same, costs for library materials increased due to added services, Library Director Carolynn Matulewicz said.

Trustee Sarah Yastrab is running unopposed for another five-year term.

In Hewlett-Woodmere, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Woodmere Education Center at 1 Johnson Place in Woodmere.

Lawrence voters are assigned to one of four locations: The Primary School at Number Two School at 1 Donahue Ave. in Inwood; Lawrence Middle School at 195 Broadway in Lawrence; Lawrence High School at 2 Reilly Road in Cedarhurst; and Atlantic Beach Village Hall at 65 The Plaza in Atlantic Beach. Voting is from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.