Back to the budget sessions at Hewlett-Woodmere

With the vote less than four months away, the administration of the Hewlett-Woodmere School District met on Jan. 24 at the Woodmere Education center at 1 Johnson Avenue, Woodmere, to discuss preliminary plans for the 2019-2020 budget.

The 2018-2019 tax levy, or the total amount of property taxes a district must collect to balance the budget, was a little more than $100.3 million. If the entire projected increase was supported by the tax levy, the 2019-2020 rollover budget tax levy would be nearly $104.1 million –– a 3.74 percent increase.

As of Jan. 24, the administration said the rollover budget increase is 3.14 percent. Louis Frontario, assistant superintendent for business, said, “The target is a 2.95 percent budget-to-budget increase, and a tax levy increase of 2.95 percent.”

The current budget is roughly $119.8 million, with the current starting point of a 3.14 percent increase, the potential 2019-2020 budget sits at just over $123.5 million.

The largest projected increase is $555,719 for custodial services, an 8.2 percent increase from the 2018-2019 budget because of contractual salary increases, improved security measures and the hiring of Frank DeLeo, as director of Health, Safety, and Security. There is also a projected $386,910 decrease in the general education instruction, because of a reduction in the actual cost of contractual salaries compared to the projected expense.

Among the new program initiatives and special budget requests, security was a common theme. Installing more lighting on the school campuses was discussed with the cost not to exceed $25,000. Trustee Scott McInnes suggested asking DeLeo to review the existing the lighting to understand how much work would be needed.

“If we can say we need $15,000 or $20,000 next year, here are the places where we want to go do this,” McInnes said. “I think that’s a much different approach and process than putting a ballpark number on it.”

Two more security aides at Hewlett High School, which would cost $76,733, were requested by Kim Parahus, the director of school facilities and operations. “As you know we have done significant security upgrades at the high school with IDs, lanyards and students scanning in and out,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mark Secaur said. “We are going to need from periods one through 10 to have two security guards at the entrances … We are making it work right now by using overtime to make sure we always have two security guards as well as the one out front in the parking lot or directing traffic.”

More proposed initiatives, requests and details on how they could be incorporated, while also meeting the target 2.95 percent budget increase, can be found in the presentation that is posted at https://www.hewlett-woodmere.net/Domain/1729.
The next budget meeting is Feb. 6 and residents are encouraged to attend. The board will provide an update on the status of the upcoming budget, estimated revenues and expected state aid.

Have an opinion about the Hewlett-Woodmere budget? Send your letter to the editor to jbessen@liherald.com.