Homeowners Meet With Town Over Insignia's Parking

The homeowners on Brilner Drive are scheduled to meet with Smithtown’s Planning Director, Frank DeRubeis, on Wednesday afternoon.  The topic of discussion will be the plan derived by the Town’s planning department which seeks to address the parking situation at Insignia Restaurant (the site of the former Boulder Creek Restaurant). The restaurant is located on Nesconset Highway and Mt. Pleasant Road in Smithtown. At the Board meeting on March 22, homeowners presented the Town Board with petitions signed in opposition to the parking lot constructed without permits and without Town approval at the Insignia site.  At that meeting, homeowners complained about increased noise, lighting and drainage issues. 

The owner’s of Insignia constructed a parking lot on an area of property that provides a buffer between the restaurant and the homeowners.  At the Board meeting homeowners were clear that they were not expressing nimbyism.  They congratulated the owners of Insignia on the success of the restaurant but they were also clear that Insignia’s success could not be at the expense of their quality of life. 

The homeowners have produced a letter from the lawfirm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C. that explicitly prohibits the intrusion on the buffer that was created in 1998.  The letter states, “simply stated, this document commits the current owner (Barbato Family Circle) and all future owners of the 50’ buffer to a promise that no part of the scenic easement will be improved, built upon or otherwise altered without your express written consent or the consent of anyone who should own your property in the future.” 

Insignia is an upscale restaurant that has had tremendous success.  It offers valet parking but there is inadaquate space to provide the parking needed for its patrons. The owner’s are asking to have the back of the restaurant , currently protected by a covenant, made available to them for parking purposes.  The back of the restaurant’s property abuts homes on Brilner Drive.

In addition to the parking concerns the property lies in a high water table area. An original proposal to add spaces to the front of the property was rejected because of the high water table.

School Budgets Reaching Looming Deadlines

District officials prepare final push amid State tax cap

By Chad Kushins

With an upcoming April deadline, and facing the additional pressure of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s controversial “two-percent tax cap”, local school district officials throughout Suffolk County are enacting a “final push” to pass their respective budgets for the coming year.  Among those districts now making public presentations and offering workshops to entice public support are our four local school districts; Smithtown, Kings Park, Hauppauge, and Commack.

Since the tax cap was first announced earlier this year, school districts, across the state, began to make alterations to the amount of funds they would have available come budget time. Districts have made cuts in faculty and hiring, programming, and a school closure.  As the budget deadline approaches, the four school districts, have taken proactive measures to reach out to residents and to address concerns.

One of the most prominent variables this budget year is the State-mandated “tax cap” of two percent.  Under the new law, the “cap” establishes a limit on the annual growth of property taxes levied by local governments and the school district to “two percent”, or the rate of inflation.  The cap is universally determined by which of the two numbers is the lowest; in essence, a limit on a normal tax levy.  But whereas a tax rate – the amount collected from each property owner – may be more or less than the increase in the levy, depending on the decrease in property values in a given town, the tax levy is the actual amount of tax money collected by the Town and finally allocated to each school district. 

Under normal State guidelines, each district’s Board of Education [BOE] is obligated to assess a tax levy for the coming school year.  This figure is the total amount that the Board determines will be needed to balance the school’s budget after State Aid and other revenue sources are taken into account.  The overall levy is then projected before the school budget vote in May – just over one month away – yet the school board can amend the levy if conditions change prior to the levy is finalized in September.

This year, with cuts affecting every school in New York State, the new “tax cap” was met with almost unanimous skepticism by district officials, all of whom have been scrambling to determine their own budgets with the “cap” adjustment in mind. 

The school districts’ budget votes will be held on May 15^th.

Commack

Just this month, Commack Superintendent Donald James surprised many residents within the district with his March 15^th announcement that he would be taking a “pay freeze” for the coming year, urging fellow faculty members to do the same. 

Under the Commack district’s proposed $170 million budget, school officials are considering laying off 40 to 60 teachers, one administrator, two secretaries, six custodians with an additional $700,000 in cuts or savings.  Additional program cuts could include the elimination of assistant coaches for 16 sports teams, elimination of the varsity swim team, and elimination of a list of co-curricular clubs and honor societies –much to the chagrin to vocal residents.

According to James in a recent statement on the district’s website, the option of renegotiating contracts and potential pay freeze have been put to the teacher’s union for consideration.  James claimed a teacher’s pay freeze, would save the district nearly $4 million and eliminate the need for many cuts.

“As the leader of this District, I fully understand that many among us are dealing with great financial strain,” reads the superintendent’s statement.  “We must work together to do what is best for our children and our community.”

Commack’s next budget workshop will take place on March 29^th at 8pm at Commack High School.

Hauppauge

Even with the “tax cap”, the Hauppauge School District’s proposed budget includes numerous items, displaying growth contasting the overwhelming cuts in other districts.  In February, Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss initially presented the district’s proposed budget, explaining the needed add-ons which account for the full $98.5 million.  Sullivan-Kriss’ suggestions include the hiring of seven teachers, purchasing three vehicles, and a proposition for renovations at two elementary schools.

“We’re at a 2.9 percent levy increase, which is well-below the tax cap,” Sullivan-Kriss told Smithtown Matters.  “We were able to do that, in part, thanks to settling contracts with the union.  We worked well together and were able to bring in contracts that were below the cap – and even propose some new hires.”

Sullivan-Kriss continued, “Naturally, the feedback from the community has been positive.  Over the last three years, we’ve seen 25 percent of our administrative staff reduced.  So, the idea that we created such efficiency with personnel has been great.  But, just like with all of the districts, going forward in the future, it will be more and more difficult as we face additional cuts.”

Even with the district’s purchases, the proposed budget stays within the state’s new two-percent tax levy cap.  According to Sullivan-Kriss, the district is hoping to hire 5 full-time special education teachers for its integrated co-teacher model in the elementary schools, a full-time teacher for its “Languages Other Than English” programs, and a full-time Literacy Collaborative support person to support reading instruction.  However, the proposed hiring of new faculty does come at a cost: letting go 16 teaching assistants currently employed within the Hauppauge district.

Other changes to the budget include funds to purchase two minibuses and a maintenance van to replace the district’s aging transportation fleet and a separate proposition for renovations at Forest Brook and Pines Elementary School.

Hauppauge expects to lose $296,976 in foundational aid and $10,804 in BOCES aid under Cuomo’s budget. 

Kings Park

In Kings Park, budget cuts and a population increase made for a predicted 28.6 student class size in their upcoming sixth grade classes.  With this in mind, the district is current proposing a 2.7 percent levy, putting $130,000 back into the budget, either creating a new teaching position, or keeping a current faculty member on-staff, to aid in easing the burden of a larger class population.  Additionally, Kings Park is looking to create one new clerical position and a groundskeeper. 

“We are waiting for some additional information as far as increased state aid to the district,” Kings Park Superintendent Dr. Susan Agruso told Smithtown Matters.  “We are also waiting to get the final word on which teachers may be retiring at the end of this year – that also factors in to the final proposal.”

Like many other school districts, teachers in Kings Park’s sixth grade work in teams of two teachers, one to cover each core subject.  According to Agruso, proposing an 11th teaching position or keeping one member of the staff for the sixth grade could, potentially, drop the class size to 28.6, down from the initial 31.5 prediction. 

The State cap for the district is 2.9 percent, which if used, would boost the budget an additional $140,000.  However, a 2.7 percent tax levy would increase the budget by $130,000 and set the budget at $80,537,086 – according to the district’s most recent update.

Aside from the proposals to maintain a workable faculty size, proposed cuts to the district’s budget include phasing out French language classes, decreasing offered electives, consolidated bus runs, and the termination of four bus drivers.

The district held a budget workshop on Saturday, March 24^th at 9:00am at Kings Park High School.

Smithtown

The Smithtown Central School District has not yet released its proposed budget, although the district was hit hard by state cuts.

“We will be adopting [the budget] on April 17^th,” said Superintendent of Schools Edward Ehmann.  “In the meantime, like other districts, we’ve been conducting workshops and posting updates in regards to what the parameters are for the coming expenditures.  As of now, we know what the tax levy will be.”

Ehmann continued, “So, we’re at a point right now where there is a consensus of agreement with the BOE to close the gap and what we can do under the tax cap.”  The Superintendent did state, however, that current cuts and plans would most likely result in having to add three or four more students to each class in the high school.  But, he added, “the impact is small.”

One major casualty of recent cuts is the announced closing of Nesconset Elementary School, set to shut its door indefinitely at the end of the school year in June.   According to the district, the decision was made due to rising costs and declining enrollment.

The district’s Citizen Advisory Committee first made the closure recommendation in an over 200 page report in January of this year.  The report says Nesconset Elementary School has higher utility costs, lower classroom capacity and limited future enrollment potential compared to other schools.

The closure is expected to save the district one million dollars, according to the BOE.  Several teacher positions are expected to be eliminated in the district following the Nesconset closure.

Ehmann says the current fifth grade class at Nesconset Elementary School will go to Great Hollow in the fall.   Students remaining in elementary school will transfer to Mills Pond Elementary School in Saint James this fall.

From there the fate of students after graduating Mills Pond is unknown, says Ehmann.  The Board of Education will decide in the  coming months where to send Mills Pond graduates – either Great Hollow Middle School, Nesaquake Middle School or a combination of both.

The closure could mean graduating fifth graders are reassigned to new middle schools across the district as the district rearranges the feeder pattern into existing middle schools.

The district will hold its next community budget information meeting at April 4^th at 7:00pm the district’s administrative building, 26 New York Avenue, Smithtown.  After the April 17^th budget adoption, Ehmann claims that members of the district will be making themselves available to both discuss and make presentations “to constituents to explain the details” of the finalized budget.

Dr Agruso Explains The Tax Cap Calculation

Kings Park Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susan AgrusoPreparing a school budget is not easy.  The budget must meet the academic needs of the students as well as comply with state mandates and existing contracts. In addition, escalating pension costs, capital expenditures and a two percent tax cap must be factored in. It is a herculean task. 

Kings Park School District’s Superintendent, Dr. Susan Agruso is up to the task. Since joining the Kings Park School District in 2008 Dr. Agruso has developed a keen understanding of the Kings Park Community.  She is a strong advocate for the Kings Park School District and can quickly rattle off a stream of accomplishments by Kings Park students.  She also understands the reality of today’s tough economic times.   

Dr. Agruso knows that getting people to understand the budget and this year’s two percent tax cap is paramount for gaining budget approval.

Speaking to Rotarians on Tuesday, March 20, Dr. Agruso pointed out important points about the property tax cap. The cap sets the limit of annual growth to 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. There is a mechanism for exceeding the 2 percent cap. If a district presents a budget exceeding the cap, 60 percent of voters need to approve the budget.  If a budget fails two times the district must freeze property tax levies.  The tax cap calculation includes exceptions, which may make the levy higher. 

What goes into budget levy calculation? Start with tax levy from 2012 which you multiply by the tax base growth factor (Tax Base Growth Factor is assigned to the district by the state comptroller). Add 2012 PILOTs (payments in Lieu of taxes) subtract tort exemptions and 2012 Capital Tax levy.  That number is multiplied by the allowable growth factor (2 percent).  From this total you subtract 2013 PILOTs and add 2013 Tort Exemptions and 2013 Capital Tax Levy and 2013 Pension Exemptions. This total is the Maximum Allowable 2013 Tax Levy.

Dr. Agruso is committed to presenting a budget that does not exceed the tax cap.  There is a lot that goes into holding the line to 2 percent.  “Everything is examined to find efficiencies including a review of our programs, class size, and transportation. We are constantly being challenged to do more with less.” 

Despite the challenges of budgeting,  Dr. Agrusso remains optimistic about the students and the district. “We have wonderful students who work hard and excel in so many areas.  This is a great district.”

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 is the School Budget Vote.

St. James Resident Arrested For Disposing of Woman's Body In Manorville

Suffolk County Police have arrested a St. James man for disposing of a woman’s body in the woods at Manorville Hills County Park sometime between February 27 and February 28, 2012. Homicide Squad detectives charged Matthew Kraus, 34, St. James, under the New York State Public Health Law for dumping the body of Pura Simancas, 45, Central Islip, in the woods after the two had injected heroin and taken Xanax. Kraus was arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip today.  The investigation is continuing.

AARP - Main Street Smithtown - Options For A Safer Roadway

Main Street in Smithtown has been designated as one of the deadliest streets in the tri-state area, according to a recent Tri-State Transportation Campaign report.

New York State ranks 4th in the nation for pedestrian fatalities for people age 65+. A recent AARP survey found that two- thirds of transportation Planners have not yet begun to consider the needs of older people on designing roads.

AARP is hosting an informational meeting on Friday, March 23rd where community leaders will be discussing life-saving alternative to make Main Street safe for pedestrians, cyclists and all users of the road.

Main Street Smithtown - Options for a Safer Roadway - Friday, March 23, 2012. 1-3 p.m. or 7-9 p.m. 

Smithtown Historical Society Brush Barn - 211 East Main Street (Route 25) Smithtown, NY 11787

RSVP by calling 1-877-926-8300 or at http://bit.ly/smithtown ro register online.