By Mike Schnitzel
It was a clean sweep for Valley Stream's four school districts on Tuesday night, when nearly every school budget passed in Nassau County. Voters also gave their OKs to all propositions on their ballots, including District 30's creation of a capital reserve fund.
Central High School District
The district's proposed $91.97 million budget was approved by voters in each of the three elementary districts. The budget, a 5.98 percent increase over the current spending plan, was approved by 57 percent of voters, by a count of 2,027 to 1,541.
"We appreciate the support of the Valley Stream community," said Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein. "Based upon these votes, we will be able to move forward to provide quality programming for our students and implement the major upgrade of our technology infrastructure, as promised."
Bernstein said he felt that a modest budget and the confidence of voters in all of Valley Stream's schools helped the budget pass.
The plan's approval means that average District 13 homeowners will see an increase of about $135 on the high school portion of their tax bills. In District 24, homeowners will pay an average of $50.54 more, and in District 30, the increase will average $52.54.
The approval of Proposition 2 will allow the district to spend $1.4 million from the capital reserve fund that was created last year, and $1.2 million in state Excel Aid. The district plans to use the money to improve its technology infrastructure and for the replacement of classroom floors and ceilings, cement and masonry work, roof repairs and heating and electrical upgrades.
Voters also approved Proposition 3, which will appropriate $1.3 million from the capital reserve fund for an air conditioning system in Central High School's Keller Auditorium.
District 13
District 13's proposed budget passed for the second year in a row, after initial budget proposals were rejected by voters in 2003 and 2004.
Sixty-one percent of those who voted - 1,298 in total - cast their ballots in favor of the $38.41 million budget proposal, an increase of 5.9 percent over the current spending plan. District 13 homeowners will see an average increase on the elementary portion of their tax bill of $136.74.
Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lison attributed the success of the budget to the combined efforts of the community, school officials and local legislators. "I think it's a tribute to the entire community for working so hard and taking the time to understand our system and the budget process," Lison said. "We also had budget ambassadors who talked with friends and neighbors about what's good with the district."
Voters also approved a proposition to spend $688,000 in state Excel Aid. The money will fund upgraded technology infrastructure in the district's four schools and the replacement of seats in the auditorium at James A. Dever School. The district also plans to install outdoor fitness equipment at each school.
District 24
The $24.34 million fiscal plan was approved by 61 percent of the 810 voters who cast their ballots in District 24. The 4.77 percent budget-to-budget increase will cost District 24 homeowners an average increase of $64 on the elementary portion of their tax bill.
Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale thanked the community for its support in passing the budget. "We look forward to another year of excellent education," Fale said. "We have a supportive community, a supportive Board of Education, and we tried to maintain an excellent educational program while being fiscally prudent."
LuAnn McCann, who had two children that attended school in District 24, came to William L. Buck School to support the budget. "As my second child is graduating from Valley Stream South, I still feel it's very important to support the budget for future generations to come," McCann said. "They both got excellent educations, first at William L. Buck and then at South High School."
As a teacher and a parent in District 24, Carol Cannonito was hoping the budget would garner enough community support to pass. "I think the school vote is very important for the community," Cannonito said. "We always have to think about the children and their future, so we always have to come out."
Elements of the district's academic intervention services and special education programs will be redesigned next year, but there are no other changes currently planned for district academic programs.
District 30
Steven Barter was among the District 30 voters who helped pass the $27.86 million budget. Barter, who has a child in fifth grade at Shaw Avenue School, said that participating in the budget vote is an important function for residents. "My kids goes here, so it's imperative that I come out to vote, meet the staff and meet the neighbors," Barter said. "I come out to all the functions."
The spending plan, which was approved by a vote of 443 to 284, is a budget-to-budget increase of 6.76 percent. Average District 30 homeowners will see a $99 increase on the elementary portion of their tax bills.
Superintendent Lawrence McGoldrick was pleased with voters' approval, and attributed the budget's success to the public's satisfaction with the education their children are getting. "I am absolutely thrilled," McGoldrick said. "We are always very appreciative of the support of our community and taxpayers."
Voters also approved the creation of a capital reserve fund to be used for capital projects. Fifty-nine percent of voters were in favor of the fund, which will allow the district to accumulate up to $4 million, plus interest, over five years. Unexpected additional revenue and year-end budget surpluses can be added to the fund, and the money can be used as an alternative to bond referendums for large projects. Voter approval is required, however, before the district can spend money from the fund.
Voters also approved the district's proposal to float a $984,000 bond to repair the roof at Forest Road School.
DiSibio, Egbuchulam win contested board seats
In District 13, Joseph DiSibio defeated Tanya Lewis and Deidre Grayson for the trustee seat of outgoing board member Michael Mastrocinque.
DiSibio received 977 votes, while Lewis garnered 356 to Grayson's 340.
DiSibio had said he would be a fiscal watchdog on the board and use his financial background to make sure that future budgets were as lean as possible. This was DiSibio's second run for a seat on the District 13 board. He lost by a slim margin to Debra Evans in 2005.
Bonnie Gorham was elected to her third three-year term with 1,425 votes.
All three trustee candidates in District 24 ran unopposed. Anthony Iadevaio, Frank Nuara and Lawrence Trogel were re-elected with 624, 601 and 584 votes, respectively.
Theodora Egbuchulam defeated Arthur Registre by a count of 282 to 201 for a seat on the District 30 Board of Education. Egbuchulam had been appointed by the board to fill the remaining four months of Walter Nesbeth's term. Nesbeth relocated to New Jersey in January.
Andrew Walters was re-elected to the school board, receiving 431 votes. Walters has been on the District 30 board since 1991.
Hewlett-Woodmere
In Hewlett-Woodmere, residents approved the $89.3 million budget by a vote of 2,062 to 1,314.
Voters also passed two propositions, one that will allow the district to spend state Excel Aid and the other to release money from the long-range building fund for repairs.
Anne Marie Allocca and Mike Russo contributed to this story. Comments about it? MSchnitzel@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
