By Matthew McGevna
The proposed budget calls for a 7.3 percent increase over the current budget, from just over $39.2 million to $42,138,005. Approximately 70 percent of the projected budget comprises salaries and benefits, including the addition of new teachers.
Business Administrator Larry Blake guided residents through a PowerPoint presentation of the budget¹s details, focusing on categories that required drastic increases in spending. One example is $40,000 for an outside auditor, the result of the state's recent requirement that all schools hire auditors to examine their finances in the wake of recent investigations of economic malfeasance elsewhere on Long Island.
Blake described the state-mandated audit function as a punishment for schools that do not commit financial fraud, but reiterated that it is a requirement, and so must be factored into the budget. According to Blake, Malverne Schools will use the Callaghan Nawrocki firm, based in Smithtown, as part of a consortium of services with neighboring school districts, sharing the firm's bill with the East Rockaway, Oceanside and Rockville Center school districts, a move that Blake said will save the district more than $26,000.
An increase was also noted for the Government Accounting Standards Board requirements, which will include a study on the long-term costs to the district of retired school employees¹ benefits packages.
The budget includes one additional teacher for each elementary school, maintaining the district's summer school and recreation programs, additional staff for the middle and high schools and increased funding for capital projects. The school plans to replace the playgrounds at both the Davison Avenue and Maurice W. Downing elementary schools. News of the playground initiative was met with loud applause. The playgrounds have long been a project of local community leaders who have children in district schools.
Blake also introduced the district's continuing cooperative agreements for services such as fuel oil and workers¹ compensation. Malverne shares the cost of these services with as many as 15 other districts, which, according to Blake, has saved the district a great deal of money over the years.
The next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. in the high school library, will be part one of the budget review. The final vote on the budget is set to take place on May 15.
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