South Huntington Board Considers Transportation Cuts

The South Huntington Board of Education met Wednesday night to consider transportation issues as it prepares next year's budget.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas C. Shea stood at the podium and gave the presentation via Powerpoint slides.

"Our proposed budget is $140,922,670, which is a 1.77% budget increase.  We are estimated to spend $8,053,218 on transportation this year,"  Shea said. The district has 55 large buses and 35 vans, including three that are wheelchair accessible.  By contract with Huntington Coach Corp., that have 22 large buses and 53 vans.  The district has 6,169 students to be transported daily, 125 daily routes and 7,724 daily bus stops.

The budget for transportation services is expected to decrease next year by $31,673.  Their estimated spending for services this year is $3,616,584.  The garage building budget is expected to increase by $20,768 next year.  They are estimated to spend $354,481 this year on these services, which include utilities, tools, custodial supplies, office equipment, overtime & substitutes and supervisory & clerical services.

Contract transportation is expected to increase by $67,640 next year.  They are estimated to spend $4,022,983 this year on these services, which include regular daily transportation, field trips, special education, athletics, late and daily routines.  Transportation to BOCES has an estimated cost of $59,170 this year.

The district's contingency budget has increased $2,156,098 this year, and their revenue has decreased $9,615,200.  Their tax levy has increased $11,771,298 and their tax rate has increased by $283.33.  By law, they must decrease their contingent budget by $309,272, which will come from equipment and community use of facilities.

  "There are a tremendous amount of changes this year and next," said board member Edward J. Nitkewicz.  

Two other issues that were brought up at the meeting were the suggestion of increasing the one-mile limit of transportation services, to three miles, and the reduction of a nine-period day at Whitman High School to an eight-period day.

Members of the audience did not react favorably to the idea of increasing the limit of transportation services from one mile to three miles.  

Even board members were suspicious of the consequences of such a long walk for young children.  "I don't even think I could do that walk.  I don't want children walking that far to school," said board member Nick Ciappetta.

 One community member, Jim Collins, jumped up in the middle of the meeting to speak up.  "I don't know if i'm hearing this right, because this is insane."

"If  I'm going to make my kids walk that far to school, what is the benefit of that to the rest of us?"  

Collins also said that schools are using excess lighting at night.  "Every night, I see that every single light is burning at night.  Is that necessary?  Think about what that is costing."  Collins said he has repeatedly called the school about this and other issues such as congestion from school buses near his home. 

The reduction of a nineperiod day to an eight period day has been brought up previously.  

Other cuts that are being considered are clerical typists at the school district, which Donna Ivans, clerical typist for the district, spoke passionately about.

"We work very hard with an overwhelming workload at times, and we also provide security and safety for our students.  It's up to us to make sure that the right people are coming to our schools to pick up our students.  How can we provide safety and security if we are not there?  Do we have to endure tragedy and lawsuits to maintain adequate staffing?  We are aware of the financial crisis that we are in now, but the safety of our students should never be compromised," she said. Her speech received a round of applause.

"Losing anyone doesn't help anything, but we have to make up for the $6 million dollar shortfall from last year somehow.  80% of our costs are from staff, so changes need to be made there.  A large portion of what determines how we make cuts is how much it will cost to replace and train the people that we cut.  Unfortunately, our savings can't come from the 20% in other costs, it has to come from the costs for staffing," said board president Jim Kaden.

Kaden mentioned an opinion piece written by Jordan Schuman, a Whitman senior, for Huntington Patch.  "I would like to read the last sentence of her piece: 'What am I willing to give up to make this less harmful and least impactful in the big picture?'  I think that is where all of us stand, what we we should all be asking ourselves," Kaden said. Her feature can be read here:  

While no decisions were made during this meeting, it proved to be a successful discussion in the districts progression towards their goals.  The following meetings are scheduled:

• March 30th - Instruction & Staffing
• April 13th - Review & Adoption
• May 10th - Public Hearing on Budget
• May 17th - Budget Vote