Schools

Superintendent Talks Budget, Financial State of District with Chamber of Commerce

The latest Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Chop Shop featured guest speaker Smithtown Central School District Superintendent Edward Ehmann.

Smithtown Central School Distict Superintendent Edward Ehmann spoke about the adopted budget and the financial state of the district to members of the Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon at Main Street’s steakhouse, Chop Shop.

Attendees included Suffolk County Legis. Lynne Nowick, R-St. James, Legislative Aide Susan E. Eckert, Town of Smithtown Receiver of Taxes Deanna Varricchio, members of the St. James, Nesconset and Kings Park chambers of commerce and more.

Ehmann wasted no time into stating the details of the budget, which includes a .41 increase from last years budget coming in at more than $212-million and a 4.9 percent tax levy increase.

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The superintendent was asked a variety of questions concerning the budget, cuts and adjustments, but was first questioned about the referendum on transportation.

“One of the things we’re looking at doing is reducing the expenses in the support that doesn’t impact class size … There will be a referendum on the ballot which is asking the community to vote yes or no – ­yes the district should move the eligibility for elementary rides to a half mile from the school and the secondary schools from a mile to a mile and a half … If it votes yes we will reduce expenses by about $800,000 next year because we’ll need fewer busses,” Ehmann said.

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The superintendent was then asked about how private and parochial school transportation would be affected if the referendum is passed, which he replied, “historically we’ve driven kids to private and parochial schools that are 20 miles away. This referendum calls for us transporting them to schools that are 15 miles away or closer.”

Legis. Nowick asked for details on the changes in class size.

“Right now the current policy is that we cap the classes at 25 in grades K, one, two and three, and in grades four and five it goes up to 27. Next year we’re going to move the 25 to 26, except for kindergarten, and we’re going to move the 27 to 28,” Ehmann said.

, at the Tuesday, April 12 board meeting, and will be up for vote on Tuesday, May 17.


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