Dundee school budget calls for deep cuts

As the Dundee Central School administrative team looks for deeper cuts to the district’s budget for 2010-2011, it’s becoming more clear that there is no way to avoid impacting programs for students.

The version of the spending plan presented to the school board March 4 calls for:
• Eliminating professional development and field trips, saving $6,500.
• Reducing bus purchases to one, saving $100,000.
• Reduce librarian positions from two to one due to retirement, saving $45,000.
• Eliminate a grant-funded elementary teaching position, saving $15,000.
• Eliminate a secondary special education teaching position, saving $45,000.
• Move $154,000 from a tax certiorari reserve fund to the general fund.
• Reassign some staff to positions funded by $130,000 in grants.

According to Business Manager Melissa Lawson, those actions will decrease the  tax levy by over $495,000, but it will still represent a 10.4 percent increase over this year’s.
Lawson and Interim Superintendent Kathy Ring presented several revisions to the budget that could be considered by the board to further reduce the tax levy increase.

They include: eliminating a literacy coach position; making no assistant coach and department chair appointments; cutting clerical support and maintenance  positions; change instructional support staff titles and duties; reduce or eliminate classes to reassign staff; reduce music or art staff; eliminate the dental hygiene program; leave some advisory positions vacant; eliminate all modified, JV and varsity sports.

Those additional cuts would keep the tax levy increase flat by cutting an additional $453,000 from the spending plan.

Board President Joe Capurso said while it may not impact the budget much, he’d like to see the board expenses cut. He said if faculty and staff will be asked to give up professional development and students will give up field trips, the board should make similar concessions.  But Vice President James Koehler said he feels the board’s participation in educational organizations beyond the school district helps it work together. “One of the worst possible things would be for the district to have a dysfunctional board,” he said.

Koehler also suggested the board ask employees to forgo salary increases. Lawson said that could save the district $200,000 to $230,000.

The board will discuss the budget further on March 25.

Other business on the board’s March 4 agenda included:

• Capital Project: The board accepted a $2.267 million bid from Raymond E. Kelly Inc., for phase I of the capital project, which includes the restoration of the building’s facade. Koehler said the bid is roughly $1 million less than the estimated cost of the work. That means the school district will need to borrow less money for the project. Work is expected to begin around May 1.

• Superintendent Transition: Capurso asked  board members to complete an evaluation of Ring’s performance as interim superintendent.

He also would like public comments about consideration of Ring for transition into the superintendent position. Anyone who would like to provide input to the decision should send comments to his attention in care of the school district.

• Physical Education grants: Teacher Jenn Hutches gave a presentation about the use of some small grants from local health organizations. The small grants will pay for Wellness Center volunteer t-shirts, kick-boxing and Zumba classes a family exercise night program with trainers and community garden space.

She also reported on a major federal grant that Dundee, Penn Yan and St. Micheal’s School will apply for jointly. The Physical Education Program (PEP) grant could be used to establish programs for lifetime fitness. The grant awards are sizable and very competitive, notes Hutches, who explained the average grants are in the $300,000 range. She said the grant could pay for outdoor equipment such as backpacks, cross country skis, snow shoes, kayaks, canoes, and equipment for yoga and other lifetime activies.

She said the three schools will be creating a team this year and determining how the grant writing process will be split up. It will take about a year for the team to complete the application process.

• Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA). Three students, Nathan Howell, Alesyn Moore and Hayley Brown gave a presentation on their business proposals through the YEA program. YEA Program Manager Vicky Odell, Jr./Sr. High School Vice Principal, explained the program and invited the board to attend the students presentations to an investor panel later this month.