By Richard Tedesco
That would represent a $6.2 million increase over the current $91.8 million budget, a 6.8 percent rise. A fifth contingency budget would cap annual growth at 3.58 percent.
Fitzsimons reiterated his opinion that the board should earmark the $27.5 million its will realize from the anticipated sale of the Number One School property to address needed building repairs "without going for a bond."
That subject resurfaced two hours later as school board member Stanley Kopilow once more made a motion for the board to establish a capital reserve fund by conducting a referendum to approve repairs to the Lawrence public schools according to guidelines from an existing engineering report.
Results of that report, commissioned for $40,000, have been a sticking point, since it includes a $33 million repair estimate for long neglected roofs and other items. "It may well be that is we spend the money wisely, we can have the repairs done for less," said Kopilow, who said creating the capital reserve is "the only way the poor and middle class will have a good education."
School board president Asher Mansdorf said the board has been "led astray" on cost estimates before and added If the board approves a $30 million outlay and it doesn't approach the actual costs "we're setting ourselves up for failure."
Kopilow countered that lower costs would be good news, "but until that day comes, we have to provide for the children and the grandchildren who will use these buildings."
Arguing for a capital reserve fund rather than a tax reserve fund that would enable rebates, board member Pamela Greenbaum said, "This community deserves the commitment that we care about them and that there's not a class issue here."
Dr. Mansdorf argued that designating the $27.5 million for a tax reserve fund does not imply designation for tax rebates. "If the perception is that I'm going to permit a one-time windfall and let the system wallow, that's not my idea."
Ultimately, Kopilow's motion was quietly withdrawn, pending alternate estimates being sought from another architect.
Under a barrage of comments from several disgruntled residents, a visibly frustrated Dr. Mansdorf reacted in a confessional tone - suggesting why he will reportedly not seek reelection.
"I have found this job a little overwhelming," he said, revealing that he and Kopilow had had a conversation earlier in the week about the public perception that Mansdorf seeks to limit public comments or is unresponsive to questions. "I am sorry our community has reached the point that we've reached," he said, pledging to be as open as possible. "We can clap or we can boo. But we need to find a way to work together."
Despite the resistance to his pressing for the capital reserve commitment, Kopilow supported the sense of what Mansdorf had said: "There's certainly been a change in the way we do business."
But some of the same sore points persist. The first post-budget presentation subject - and the evening's first debate - was the idea of a referendum to approve pre-K busing for private schools.
Kopilow said the cost should be determined. Greenbaum said cost was only one issue: "Do you realize the scheduling nightmare that can be?"
Dr. Mansdorf said the bus company would provide a program design when it knew the parameters of the budget. He said a morning and afternoon route would cost $40,000 per bus per year.
The issue of replacing the phone system resurfaced, as board member Uri Kaufman said the existing provider, DCI Design Communications, has offered to replace the existing phone system with a "state-of-the-art" analog system with voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) intra-school features.
Last month, the board voted unanimously to desigate the remaining $750,000 from an Excel grant to upgrade to a VOIP system.
"To me, it's like buying Windows 98 instead of Windows 2007. You're trying to do things on the cheap here," said Greenbaum.
"To even imply that I'm going to drag us back into the nineteenth century is inappropriate," said Mansdorf.
Sounding one distinctly harmonic note, Dr. Mansdorf reported that he had secured a $25,000 county grant to refurbish the Number Six School playground.
Comments on this story? Contact RTedesco@liherald.com or call (516) 569-4000, ext. 204.
