BOE Holding Business, Budget Meeting Monday

The Patchogue-Medford Board of Education will be holding a joint business meeting and the final budget workshop at South Ocean Middle School Monday at 7 p.m.

As per usual for the monthly business meeting, the board will likely go into executive session at 7 p.m. and start the public portion of the meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Following the business portion of the meeting, the budget hearing will take place to discuss forming the 2013-2014 school budget.

At the most recent Board of Education Budget Hearing held at South Ocean Middle School on March 4, assistant superintendent of business Donna Jones said that staffing, tax rate, the contingent budget, the district's four year plan and projected fund balance is planned for Monday's discussion.

"I would hope that we would be in a position at that point to adopt so that we can get to work on the budget brochure," Jones said.

When asked by a resident during public comment if possible staff layoffs will be in the budget, Jones and Superintendent Michael Locantore both said that as of that meeting there have been no plans to layoff teachers.

"There has been no discussion about staff reduction," Locantore said.

The staffing topic is planned to be fully addressed at Monday's meeting.