Commack voters passed its $171 million budget for the 2012-13 school year on Tuesday by a vote of 2,977 to 1,723 despite a heated budget season leading up to the vote.
By passing the budget, the average homeowner within the Commack School District will pay a tax levy of 2.6 percent, which Commack school officials estimated as the average district taxpayer paying $239 to $258 more per year.
Also decided in the election, incumbent trustee Deborah Guber beat challenger Daniel Fusco for a three-year term on the Board of Education starting July 1, 2012 by a vote of 2,453 to 2,012.
Under the adopted $171 million budget, Commack School District will lay off approximately 37 teachers, one administrator, two secretaries, six custodians and three teaching assistants. These numbers may change as the district is still in negotiations with several of its bargaining units.
The budget will also cut 14 co-curricular clubs at Commack High School and five after-school clubs at Commack Middle School. The number of hours for Intramural sports will be reduced at the intermediate schools.
The district will move forward with a $18 million Energy Performance Project that will bring a range of improved energy efficiency units to the school district from lighting to new roofs and energy management systems under Johnson Controls. The district will also enter a Computer Enhancement Project with BOCES to offer additional technology and more computers for students.
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The farm.... was a "gift" to the district which came with a life long maintenance cost. The district had an offer several years back which was put on hold because a group of people did not want it sold. They had no real plans to pay for the cost of maintaining it. The offer fell through while these people did their homework after the due date so to speak. Now Commack is left with the farm which is costly.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/education&id=7778676
That farm could be part of the curriculum teaching agriculture and hosting many community meetings. . The district never went for grants although Boces got $500000 in NY state grants for renovation of the barns .By the way a school board member in the 1960s talked Marion Carll into giving it to the school district. IT was not meant to be sold for houses and he school district could have Given the farm to the county or the town of Huntington. They never did. The heirs will probably get it back. anyway.
While your calling the board out for lacking the backbone to stand up to the teacher's union (whom I agree believe in last in first out) take a look at all of the administrative positions earning six figure salaries in this district. While you're at it, observe how many duplicative positions exist. One disturbing find was a very well paid position: "Director of Public Relations". What possible reason can be given to have this position in a public school system. Doesn't the board speak for the district? Given the current state of the economy and the reduction of state funding we should be eliminating positions such as this that we don't need (or ever needed). While you're mulling this over, think about why this position didn't make it to the chopping block while 36 actual teaching positions did. Not only does this board not perform well in collective bargaining, it casts a blind eye to the many non-essential administrative positions that could and should be cut to achieve budget savings.