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Schools

CBAC Recommends Reducing Blind Brook Fund Reserves

The Blind Brook School Board heard from the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee at Monday night's regular meeting and took its advice regarding budget reserve funds. The school board also voted to add ice hockey back to the sports roster for next year.

At the Blind Brook BOE budget workshop two weeks ago, school board president Steven Kaplan warned the Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee members against holding what Kaplan characterized as unsanctioned meetings. During Monday's meeting the tone was decidely civil as designated committee chair Jack Robinson presented the group's collective recommendations.

Declaring the bulk of the proposed budget “reasonable,” Robinson presented 3 specific suggestions for the school board to consider related to the maintenance of fund reserves.

The CBAC recommended the the elimination of two reserve funds from the 2011-2012 budget: a proposed $50,000 for future athletic field repair and a set aside of $300,000 for contingency expenses. The CBAC recommended the so-called “rainy day fund” of $1.55 million be retained as presented in the budget proposal.

Robinson said of the committee’s rationale, “To be prudent, we thought it made sense to continue to carry the rainy day fund.” Robinson relayed the majority of the committee members held the expenses represented by the other accounts were not essential for the upcoming year’s budget.

Several parents were aggravated by the CBAC’s long term recommendation regarding special education: consider independent evaluations of key programs such as special ed to insure cost effectiveness.

Saying that committee members “had no subject matter expertise,” parent Michael Rosenblum expressed his opinion the committee members had gone beyond their capabilities in making the suggestion to evaluate special education funding as if it was a program of similar composition to any other.  

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“I  find the suggestions against [special education] against the interest of all students," said parents' organization co-chair Kim Palumbo. " I’m deeply concerned that the committee has discussed students by means of their price tag and I’m entrusting this board to leave these decisions in hands of educators.”

Leaving aside discussion of the specific short and long term recommendations made by the CBAC, the school board took action only on the CBAC’s suggestions about the reserve funds.

They agreed unanimously to nix  the athletic field fund for next year and by a vote of 3-2 to reject the $300,000 contingency fund.

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The school board affirmed the maintenance of the 4 percent rainy day fund. Superintendent Stark explained that the school district ‘s bond rating, currently AA2 from Moody, was related to its fully funded reserve balance.

The CBAC made the following suggestions to the school board:

Contracts- Salary
1. Cap annual salary increases
2. No guaranteed increases -cola
3. Elimination or greater spacing of steps
4. Decrease number and value of stipends
5. Evaluate criteria for number of paid chaperones
6. Cap number of stipends per teacher

Contracts- Benefits
1. Dental and vision benefits funded 100percent  by district should be employee funded
2. Employee contribution for health insurance coverage, maintain 50/50 contribution for future increases
3. Increase tuition fees for children of faculty and staff to amount closer to market rate
4. Reduce paid days off- sick/personal/vacation days

Recommendations - Long Term
1. Investigate cost/benefit on advantages of 8 rather than 9 period day
2. Eliminate physical education requirement for high school students that participate in school-sponsored sports
3. Investigate single course offerings “every other year” instead of annually
4. Consider independent evaluations of key programs such as special education to insure cost effectiveness

After consulting counsel regarding the proper role of parents’ booster clubs, the board voted unanimously to restore ice hockey. The parents’ booster club must pony up all costs above the school board’s threshold of $750 per student, approximately $30,000 for the currently 10- 12 boys currently participating in the sport. The board also voted 3-1, Barr recused, to fund 2 modified softball teams for the current school year.

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