Raises draw ire in District 13

Several District 13 residents spoke up against raises for the three assistant superintendents at the July 5 Board of Education re-organization meeting. These salary increases, residents said, should not be given out in tough financial times when others are making sacrifices.

The raises averaged 2 percent for three assistant superintendents. Meredith Brosnan, the assistant superintendent for business, will be paid $178,395 this year, an increase of about $3,500. Lisa Sells-Asch, the assistant superintendent for special services, received a $3,167 raise to $161,513. Linda Roth, assistant superintendent for business, will be paid $168,612, an increase of about $3,300.

Ray Mohamed, a PTA leader from Howell Road School, said that not only did the three assistant superintendents get raises less than a year ago — the last increase was in October 2010 — but district officials have been talking about the need to cut back on spending. “Is this really necessary?” he asked.

Krista Testani said although the raises do not equate to a lot of money, she said it could cause the district to lose leverage in trying to settle contracts with other bargaining units. She said the opportunity is now gone to show the “rank and file” employees that everyone is making sacrifices.

Testani said that her argument against the raises is not a reflection on the three assistant superintendents, who she described as “capable and knowledgeable.” Rather, she said, it’s about protecting the taxpayers. “This is the public sector,” she said. “The community is paying these salaries.”

Lenny Buccellato cautioned the Board of Education against “going for bust.” He said if the district does not curtail its spending soon, it could be facing some serious financial issues. “It has to stop,” he said. “Make the statement, because if you don’t, it’s going to come harder than you ever expected.”

Board of Education Frank Chiachiere said that the raises for the administrators are consistent with other employees. He noted that the recent teacher contract includes raises averaging 2.2 percent, when the longevity-based Step increases are factored in. “Some got more,” he said, “and those on the very top got less.”

The new teacher contract raises salaries by 1.25 percent this year. Teachers will receive their Step increase in February, a half-year later than normal. In 2012-13, there will be a hard salary freeze with no increases at all for teachers.

Karen Sarli, a secretary at the James A. Dever School, said the Valley Stream Teachers Association Educational Office Personnel unit has just entered its third year without a contract, yet the administrators continue to get their raises. “It’s becoming very disconcerting,” she said. “We’re still without a contract and it’s hurtful. If we got up and left our desks, the schools wouldn’t run.”

Chiachiere said he hopes that the VSTA/EOP contract will be settled soon. Like the teachers, that contract is negotiated with all four Valley Stream school districts together.

VSTA/EOP leaders said that the last offer from the districts was made more than a year ago.

Despite the public opposition, the Board of Education approved the raises for the three administrators, each by a 5-1 vote. The lone dissenter was Bill Stris. Trustee Debra Evans was absent.

Stris cited the economic downturn, as well as past raises for the administrators and their ability to buyback vacation days, as his reason for voting against the increases. “I believe this increase in salary,” he said, “to the highest paid employees of the district, during these economic times is not justified. Where is the shared sacrifice?”

Chiachiere said that the assistant superintendents work longer days and a longer year than the teachers, so it was fair to give them a comparable increase. He also said the Board of Education wanted to acknowledge the work of Brosnan, Roth and Sells-Asch and keep them working for District 13.

He did note that board members understand the burdens facing taxpayers, having settled a “very conservative” teacher contract and hiring a new superintendent at one of the lowest salaries on Long Island for a schools chief.

Chiachiere could not say if the three administrators would take salary freezes in 2012-13, the same year that the teachers will not receive any increase. “There is a template in place,” he said, “and the board is mindful of that.”