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General News: School District Faces Budget Cuts
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| Superintendent Rehm says the district is looking at every part of the budget to find cuts. |
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| Board member Jim Congelli has a list of 15 areas where he thinks cuts could be made. |
January 28, 2009
With less than a month to go before a proposed 2009-10 budget must be submitted, Cornwall schools chief Timothy Rehm is warning that Cornwall faces the prospect of losing the largest portion of state funds of all schools in Orange County.
Superintendent Rehm told the Cornwall school board on Monday night that Cornwall could lose $3.6 million – or 14.2 percent – of state aid if cuts proposed in Albany are adopted by the state legislature. Cornwall’s current budget is $54.1 million.
Rehm said that he met with state senator Bill Larkin and state representative Nancy Calhoun, as well as with representatives of neighboring districts, to urge them to oppose deep cuts in the state budget for school aid.
He also cautioned the board that while he remains “cautiously optimistic,” the administration has to plan for the implications of the government’s proposed cuts. “We are looking at everything as an area for potential cuts,” Rehm told the board. He reminded the board members that the district implemented a “soft freeze” on spending last November, which eliminated discretionary purchases for materials, including supplies, books and equipment. Courtesy water, coffee and other food-related items were cancelled and the district began scrutinizing all staff replacements.
As an example of how the cost cutting measures are being applied, superintendent Rehm noted that the vacancy created by the resignation of Coach Michael Kroemer would not be filled.
Cornwall schools athletic director Lou Cioffi told the board that the state high school athletic league had already reduced the number of games and scrimmages played this season. It also has approved reducing the number of games played by junior varsity teams next year. Under that recommendation, JV football games will be reduced from 18 to 16 and JV baseball and softball teams will play 20 instead of 24 games. Travel schedules are also being condensed. Cioffi said the league has a meeting on Friday in which more cutbacks in games and players will be decided.
The district’s assistant superintendent for business, Harvey Sotland, noted that in addition to state cuts, he is seeing an unprecedented number of reductions in property assessments, which has a direct impact on the amount of school tax paid.
First-term school board member Jim Congelli updated the board on his expanding ideas for cost-cutting in the district. In November, he first put together a list of suggestions, from reducing field trips and combining bus schedules and keeps adding new proposals. His current list includes a reduction in printing as well as an elimination of part-time teachers.
Any district resident who is interested in joining in the budget process is invited to join the School Budget Advisory Committee (SBAC). Superintendent Rehm said that SBAC will meet on four Wednesdays – February 11 and 25 and March 11 and 25. It will have a final meeting with the board of education on April 6. Residents who want to serve on the committee are advised to submit a letter of interest to the school board.
Comments:
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Since tax payers will have to bear the brundt of this pending tax increase how about the adminstators and teachers take a temporary 5% pay cut.
posted by john olley on 01/28/09 at 5:14 PM
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Reduction in assessments...you betcha! Our extreme loss in school aid this year is courtesy of the Cornwall Town Assessor who's current assessment roll has Cornwall being the highest-valued town in all of Orange County. And if the state is looking for more contributions to the NYS Teachers Pension (because of the Wall St. meltdown), the state should really be getting that money from the SEC's "Bad Broker" penalty fund...or get on line for "stimulous check" from the TARP trough.
posted by susan ostrander on 01/28/09 at 5:16 PM
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