School Board Poised To Adopt Budget Wednesday

The Southold Board of Education is slated to vote to adopt the proposed $28 million budget for 2013-2014 at its Wednesday night meeting.

The meeting is scheduled to be held in the district auditorium and begin at 7:30 p.m. 

The board is also expected to vote on a resolution regarding retirement incentive funding, mutually agreed upon by the Board of Education and the Southold Faculty Association, in an estimated amount not to exceed $580,000. The initial funding source of the retirement incentive will be from fund balance.The employee benefit accrued liability reserve will serve as a secondary funding source if needed.

The vote comes after a school budget hearing held two weeks ago during which Southold Union Free School District Superintendent David Gamberg said the district had closed a $700,000 gap.

The forecast has brightened considerably, Gamberg said. "It's like night and day."But he noted. there is still a need to be "mindful of the long term. This budget keeps an eye on the prize for a three-to-five year period."

The fact remains, Gamberg said, that the district faces a declining enrollment; currently, the enrollment stands at 850 students, down from 1000 a few years ago. 

The budget-to-budget increase for the 2013-2014 budget is 3.94 percent, he said, rather than the almost 6 percent, and a $700,000 gap, that was expected three weeks ago. "We have closed the gap," he said. The district, he added, is not looking to pierce the tax cap levy.

Districts across the board are facing similar increases, Gamberg said, due to contractual obligations such as health care and pension costs. A decision by New York State to reallocate funds to school districts made a "huge" difference, Gamberg said. The original governor's budget had the district set to lose almost $200,000 -- now, the budget is up by $100,000, at $1,689,213.

In addition, the district was able to obtain $384,000 in savings due to unexpected retirements. The positions of the senior staffers will be replaced at significantly less, Gamberg said.

Other cuts to supplies, equipment and professional development were made, to the tune of $65,000, the superintendent added.

As for programs, music staffing was reduced to 5 full-time positions to 4.8 staff members; art was reduced from 2.3 to 2.0. due to one part-time position begin eliminated. "Those small reductions are due to declining enrollment," Gamberg said. "We no longer need that level of staffing.

Kindergarten and and first grade will have art once every six days and music twice; second and third grades would still have art twice every six days.

Fourth graders would have music once every six days; but, Gamberg reminded, fourth graders have the opportunity to play an instrument. Fifth and sixth graders have art twice in six days. "We are still the only district with an orchestra program -- and we still will be, thankfully," Gamberg said.

Kindergarten will remain a full day, Gamberg said. "And electives and extra-curricular activities remain fully intact."

The district will still share a play with the Greenport school district and will look for ways to share other technology, athletics, and intramural events.

Many parents came out to stress the importance of music and arts programs in the school at the budget hearing.

Are you happy with the proposed budget? Share your thoughts with Patch.