By:Jonann Brady
The West Hempstead School District held the first of its budget work sessions last Tuesday evening, at which Assistant Superintendent for Business Dr. Christine Grucci presented the non-instructional costs for the 2004-05 school year. The largest portion of the budget, instructional services -- which include teachers' salaries and make up 64 percent of the total budget -- will be discussed on Tuesday, March 23, at 8 p.m. at the middle school. The budget will most likely be adopted at that meeting.
For the 2004-05 year, the West Hempstead School District has proposed a budget of $42,856,186, a 7 percent increase over the current budget. The district's state aid has remained relatively flat, said Grucci. Gov. George Pataki's proposed budget includes a $110,000 increase in the West Hempstead district.
Some of the biggest non-instructional increases the district faces include employee benefits and pension costs, which have risen dramatically across New York state, thanks to the plummeting stock market in 2001. The district also faces rising insurance, worker's compensation and transportation costs, as well as BOCES administrative charges.
Many of the budget increases are out of the district's control and are based on state mandates, said Grucci. She pointed to the transportation line of the budget, which jumps $425,600 -- just over 14 percent -- from last year.
Besides in-district transportation, West Hempstead must provide transportation to private and parochial schools within a 15-mile radius for about 1,000 students in the district, said Grucci, who added that because of West Hempstead's location, the district transports kids to more than 100 schools, some as far away as Brooklyn. "We have one of the largest private and parochial enrollments in the state," she said.
Other major line-item increases include health and dental insurance costs for all staff, which have risen more than $800,000 from last year, and worker's compensation claims, which jumped about 25 percent, from $275,000 last year to a projected $343,000 this year. Most of those claims were from custodial staff, said Grucci at the meeting.
She added that the 2004-05 budget also included the first interest payment of $18,500 for the West Hempstead Public Library bond project, which was approved by voters last year, and ongoing capital projects on various school buildings (see attached chart).
BOX OFF:
Proposed building renovations and upgrades
(Based on a January building inspection report.)
George Washington School
Repair 25 windows....$6,000
Replace heating and air-conditioning units (ongoing) ....$5,000
Wheelchair lift.... $15,000
Masonry work...... $50,000
Total.....$76,000
Cornwell Avenue School
Playground equipment.....$5,500
Chestnut Street School
Playground Equipment.....$5,500
West Hempstead Middle School
Lockers second floor (phase 2) .... $46,000
Sidewalk, exit 11..... $6,000
Total....$52,000
West Hempstead High School
Bleachers, one set for football field .....$8,000
Replace auditorium exit doors..... $8,000
Remove and replace boiler room pipes.... $6,000
Upgrade auditorium PA system .......$4,500
Replace and upgrade dimmer light panel, stage....$30,000
Replace counter/sink in clay room cabinets.....$2,500
Total..... $59,000
Grounds
Replace Tractor....$31,000
