BOE Recap: 2012-13 Budget, SSHS Field Lighting Update

Contract negotiations with the district's bargaining units are still ongoing, but school officials said a preliminary 2012-13 school year budget contains a tax levy increase of 1.99 percent.

Assistant Superintendent of Finance Robert Bartels said the district is still waiting to hear back from its , who school officials hope will agree to restructure their contracts to help the district avoid staff layoffs. Bartels said the one of the bargaining units — the district's office staff — has ratified its new agreement.

If the district presents a 2012-13 budget with a 1.99 percent tax levy increase — staying under the two percent tax cap — it would need 50 percent of voters to approve it. If it fails, the district could put out the same budget for a second vote. If it's voted down again, it would by law have to present a budget with a zero percent increase.

SSHS Field Light Options

Bartels said last Friday he met with village officials and representatives from "Turf's Up" — the village organization spearheading the at — to discuss the electrical requirements needed to power the lighting. The school's current electrical capacity does not hold enough power to run the lights, Bartels said, so the district has three options.

The district's options are:

1. Install a new transformer outside of the high school's cafeteria and run an electrical cable under the school. The cable would surface by the press box, Bartells said, but it's the most expensive option.
2. Use the transformer that's on the far side of the field and have it powered by LIPA. Bartels said it's a reduced cost because the transformer is close, but LIPA's rates are expensive.
3. Use the transformer near the village water tower and run a cable across the field to the new press box. Bartels noted that the village will make upgrades to the tower and transformer.

Bartels said the district will try to find the most inexpensive option. He added that once a decision is made, electricity to portable classrooms will need to be shut down for about three days to allow for installation. He added that whichever option the district chooses, the installation should be done by July.