By Scott Brinton
The funding allowed Roosevelt Superintendent Horace Williams to reinstate 30 employees who were scheduled to leave their jobs Jan. 25. Among them were 15 custodians, four nurses, two psychologists, six aides and three social workers.
"Employees of the Roosevelt School District should not be victims of school-board mismanagement," Fuschillo said. "This emergency funding will prevent layoffs and help keep stability in he district... ."
Last week, Fuschillo said that Gov. George Pataki got involved in negotiations between the senator and Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper-Hill (D-18th District) over a possible takeover of the Roosevelt School District by the Education Department. A takeover would stave off breakup of the district, as proposed by Education Commissioner Richard Mills. Mills' plan could send Roosevelt students to surrounding districts such as Baldwin, Bellmore-Merrick and East Meadow.
The governor's presence at the bargaining table has accelerated negotiations, said Fuschillo. The talks have carried on since last summer.
Since the governor stepped in, Hooper and Fuschillo have had the "most productive meetings" to date, the senator said.
The sticking point in negotiations appears to be school aid for the district, which teeters on the brink of insolvency. Since the mid-1990s, Roosevelt has received an annual $4-million state loan, which the late Sen. Norman J. Levy (R-Merrick) secured for the district. The loan was to be repaid, but to date, the district has been unable to because of continuing budget gaps.
Right now, Fuschillo said negotiations between Hooper, the governor and himself center around state funding for the district for next school year.
Recently, Hooper called for $10 million annually for the district in perpetuity, which would not have to be repaid.
Fuschillo's takeover plan, as outlined in the Senate bill he passed last June, would run 10 years, during which time the state would continue to provide annual loans to Roosevelt to fill projected budget holes.
Fuschillo said the governor would like the loans repaid at the end of the takeover. The senator, though, said he would be willing to forgive the loans, so long as the takeover goes through.
"If we do away with [repaying the loans], I'm in full agreement with it," the senator said.
