School District Holds Final Budget Session
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

The Garden City Board of Education focused on administrative and capital components of the 2008/2009 budget at its last budget work session on March 10th.

State law requires the school budget to be divided into three parts: administrative, program/instruction and capital. Garden City's proposed budget allots 74.05 percent to program/instruction, 15.15 percent to capital needs and 10.8 percent to administration.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Feirsen's proposed budget is $94,637,782, which is 4.64 percent higher than last year. It is the lowest percentage increase in nine years. The projected tax levy increase (with STAR) is 5.04 percent.

Dr. Feirsen emphasized that the budget is still a work in progress. The tax levy increase in particular is expected to change since the amount of state aid the district will receive has yet to be determined.

The administrative budget includes the Board of Education, central administration, school community relations, plant operation and maintenance, central data processing and special items such as insurance and BOCES administrative charges. Central administration includes the offices of the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance and the Assistant Superintendent for Personnel.

Employee benefits are a substantial part of the administrative budget, and are expected to rise by 2.6 percent next year to total $20,315,869. The district cost for health insurance is expected to rise by eight percent.

Employee retirement benefits fall under two programs: the Teachers' Retirement System and the Employee Retirement System. The district is fully accrued in both programs. Employee benefits also include social security, pension, health and dental insurance, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and compensated absences (teachers who are retiring are compensated financially for unused sick days.)

Under debt service, the district is projected to carry $3,958,490 in debt, which is comprised of interest payments on tax anticipation notes and principal and interest payments on outstanding bond issuances.

The capital portion of the budget totals $14,333,398, or 15.15 percent of the overall budget. Major projects in the next year at the high school include resurfacing, lining and repair of the track and replacing student lockers. At the middle school, projects include replacing the south gym bleachers; creating a Scan Tek lab in the technology room, which will allow students to utilize a series of tech-based modules to solve engineering problems; replacing the steps near the auditorium; replacing a clothes dryer and washer, which are used to launder athletic team clothing; and repaving the front bus circle and installing guard rails.

The lower schools and transportation building will also get much-needed repairs. At Stewart School, two faculty bathrooms will be renovated. At Stratford, the auditorium ceiling and adjacent walls will be repaired and repainted. At Homestead, several exterior doors will be replaced and two playgrounds will be resurfaced and the blacktop expanded. At Locust, the multipurpose room curtains will be replaced and the chimney flashing will be repaired. At the transportation building, the roof will be replaced and a new 2-way radio system will be installed.

The budget also includes $100,000 to purchase and implement a district-wide, off-site disaster recovery system to ensure business continuity in case the district's software and hardware is destroyed. The district would also like to replace one truck for the Facilities Dept., and continue door and ceiling replacement, with special emphasis at the middle school.

Under transportation, Dr. Feirsen stressed that it is important to stay on target with the scheduled replacement of school buses and other vehicles to replace an aging fleet. The 2008/2009 budget includes $399,000 for the purchase of three new 66-passenger buses.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Feirsen presented some interesting transportation facts: 3,412 students are transported to district schools and 585 students are transported to other schools. The district transports students to 17 schools outside the district and private contractors transport to 22 other schools. As of March 10, 771 athletic trips and 365 field trips were scheduled.

The public will still have opportunities to comment and ask budget-related questions. Besides the regular Board work sessions and meetings, there will be a public hearing on the budget on Monday, May 12. Garden City residents will be asked to vote on the budget on Tuesday, May 20.