By MIKE CAPUTO
Although only 10 residents attended "Meet the Candidates" evening at the Woodmere Education Center on Monday, May 5, the participants touched upon a variety of subjects that affect the district.
During his opening statements, challenger Fred Usherson held up school tax bills from the last few years. Usherson said he is concerned that his taxes have more than doubled over the last six years ago.
"I am very concerned about this," Usherson said. "I am concerned about the repercussions in the future."
Weinick, who has served on the school board since 1993 and has been its president since 2002, noted that while taxes are a burden on the community, the district does not receive its fair share of state funding, notably in building aid. In response to Usherson's display of tax bills, Weinick stressed the difficulty in judging the district's tax rate on one individual.
"Fiduciary responsibility is a matter that I take very seriously," Weinick said during his opening statement. "The challenging financial times we are all experiencing requires us to be imaginative and prudent."
"We pay our taxes -- the people on the school board -- we are very aware of it," Weinick later added.
Teena Ditchek Korman, another incumbent who is running for a third term as school board trustee, described the impact on low state aid returns for the Hewlett-Woodmere district. Ditchek Korman, a Valley Stream resident who lives within District 14, has been active in advocating for more state aid. Each year, Hewlett-Woodmere is among the districts that receive the least aid from the state. Only 7 percent of District 14's budget comes from the state, which means the taxpayers must pick up the rest.
To Ditchek Korman, that is unfair, especially for those who pay for a big slice of the New York pie. "The income tax is 10 times more than we get back for state aid," she said.
In addressing the rising costs in fuel and energy, along with the ever-changing economy, Weinick said the current board has helped approve projects that save on heating and cooling across the district's facilities. Additionally, the district has signed on with Johnson Controls to form an energy savings plan.
"We have been proactive in trying to control our energy costs," Weinick said.
While answering the question of plotting the future of the district, Weinick stressed the importance of monies raised through the recently established endowment fund.
"Our recently established endowment fund represents what I believe will be the single most important financial income source for the future of our district," Weinick said.
One of Usherson's objectives is to "improve district staff." At the debate, he requested a more hands-on approach by board members in evaluating existing and prospective employees.
Both Weinick and Ditchek Korman agreed that administrative staff is best suited for evaluating its staff, and that the board would always support professional development.
The challenger also said he would work to implement more vocational programs. The Nassau County Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) provides a sufficient amount of vocational training for students, and is often under-utilized by the community, Weinick said in response.
Usherson, while not opposed to the technology plan that could be enacted by the voters if they pass a referendum, said he would like to improve technological endeavors within the district, including the establishment of a radio station for students. For Ditchek Korman, technology has come a long way since she began on the school board. She pointed to proposition II, a referendum that would authorize the usage of reserve funds for a long-term technology plan.
"The district was perhaps behind in terms of technology and I am very proud of where we are today," she said.
District 14 voters get to decide on the school budget, two propositions and the school board elections on May 20.
Read next week's Herald for profiles on all of the school board candidates in Districts 14 and 15.
Comments about this story? Mcaputo@liherald.com or 516-569-4000 ext. 210.
