School Vote 2018: North Fork Budgets, BOE Candidates

NORTH FORK, NY — Tuesday marks the 2018 school budget vote and on the North Fork, at least one school district is looking to pierce the state tax cap. Here's a roundup of what you need to know and a look at who's vying for Board of Education seats.

GREENPORT

The proposed 2018 - 2019 budget of $19,038,000 represents a tax levy of 4.62 percent. The budget, as well as the Southold school district's, seeks to preserve programs and services, including adding a security guard and a comprehensive Pre-K program and secondary school program.

Sharing services with the Southold school district, said Superintendent David Gamberg in a budget message, has saved Greenport and Southold taxpayers almost $1 million.

"While the Greenport budget pierces the tax cap, it is not the highest tax levy increase," Gamberg told Patch; he added that there are other districts with tax levies of more than 13 percent.

"There are 124 districts on Long Island and the tax cap started at the same time for all of them several years ago. They were not all at the same starting point in terms of resources, staffing, reserves, etc.," he said.

Looking back 15 to 20 years ago, some districts had relatively high increases, each year, over a period of time from five to 15 years, Gamberg said, adding that in Greenport, pre-tax cap, the budgets reflected a 0 percent increase and were sometimes negative, he said.

Greenport's budget, he added, remains "a relatively low amount" compared to other districts islandwide. "Finally, enrollment continues to increase in Greenport and is falling in other districts," he said.

In his budget message, Gamberg wrote, "Greenport residents have a history of supporting the education of its students, something that makes me proud to serve this community."

In 2016, he added, residents were asked to pierce the tax cap with a tax levy increase of 8.52 percent. "And you did," he said.

Kim Swann, president of the Greenport PTO, explained why piercing the cap is necessary. "Two years ago, we asked the taxpayers to pay almost nine percent more and now we're asking for another four percent — or we risk losing staff and programs such as the Pre-K program, driver's ed and several sports teams."

Swann added, "We have slowly been trying to rebuild our school and taking cuts would be a step backward. I am fully aware that we cannot ask the taxpayers to support piercing the cap year after year and I will pressure the Board of Education and the administration to come up with a long-term plan to put us in a better financial position, but for the immediate future, this is what we need to do for our students. They deserve a quality education in a safe and healthy environment

Passing this budget points us in the right direction."

Three candidates vying for two board of education seats are incumbents Babette Cornine and Daniel Creedon facing off against newcomer Sonia Spar.

Voting takes place Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. For a full look at the proposed budget, click here.

SOUTHOLD

The proposed budget for the 2018 to 2019 school year is $28,981,000, or a 1.62 percent tax levy increase.

Superintendent David Gamberg pointed out the budget seeks to preserve programs and services, and allows for the hiring of a new security guard.

Despite changes in state aid, the budget remains under the allowable levy, Gamberg said. Reflecting on his tenth year, Gamberg said a hallmark of the Southold district is keeping "the budget low and consistent," as well as being "fiscally prudent" while still maintaining and preserving programs. The district, he added, is "well into the capital project," with expectations that it should be complete within a month, in time to get started on the elementary school, and the next phase, which includes improvements to the parking lot, lighting, and security, Gamberg said.

Gamberg thanked the board of eduction, who "take great pains to make sure they get all the information they need to make sound decisions. And I've very grateful to the taxpayers who have been so supportive over the years."

Three candidates are also vying for two open Board of Education seats in Southold, with challenger Amy Bennet running against incumbents Paulette Ofrias and John Crean.

Voting takes place Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. For a look at the budget, click here.

MATTITUCK-CUTCHOGUE

The district's $40.7 million proposed budget represents a tax levy increase of 0.15 percent.

Voters will also weigh in on a proposition to establish a capital reserve fund, essentially a savings account, which is funded over time and typically used to pay

for repairs, renovations and improvements. The capital reserve fund can be funded up to $6 million over a term of 10 years. If approved, the capital reserve fund will be originally funded for $3 million, with $2.5 million from the Employees Retirement Reserve and $500,000 from the Unemployment Reserve. In addition, the capital reserve fund may be funded annually in an amount not to exceed $750,000 from monies remaining in the general fund and/or other reserves.

According to Superintendent Dr. Anne Smith, highlights of the budget include investment in new infrastructure for communication, safety and security, including a possible fourth security personnel, additional technology, and a new phone system for better access to emergency response and collaboration.

"We are continuing to reduce staffing through attrition and reductions in response to the declining enrollment," she said. "At the same time we are enhancing after school clubs, mental health and wellness programs, foreign language at the elementary school and the agriculture and TV production academic programs."

The proposed capital reserve, Smith added, provides the district with an opportunity to allocate other reserve funds with voter approval to help off set costs for renovations and capital projects as needed in the future — helping "to stabilize the tax rate and budget changes while maintaining a safe and secure facility."

Two candidates, incumbent Doug Cooper and Jeffrey Connelly, are running for two open seats on the BOE.

The vote takes place Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. For a look at the budget, click here.

OYSTERPONDS

The proposed 2018 to 2019 budget of $5.8 millions represents a 1.58 percent increase.

BOE incumbents Philip Mastrangelo and Linda Sledjeski Goldsmith are running for two open seats.

Voting takes place Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. To view the budget, click here.

Patch file photos.