Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 14, 2010 Franklin Lakes Local school district cuts staff and programs by Frank J. McMahon The reduction in the state aid that the Franklin Lakes K-8 school district experienced this year has forced the district to find ways to reduce costs while keeping the impact on educational programs to a minimum. The reductions do include some staff and program cuts in order to minimize the impact of its 2010-11 budget on property taxes. The local school district’s state aid was reduced from $1,301,014 last year to $44,498 this year, but School Business Administrator Michael Solokas claims that reduced number is really $8,020 because the school district is also being assessed $36,378 in interest for a prior state construction grant. In an effort to reduce costs and expenses as a result of that cut in state aid, Solokas advised that the school district switched the district’s employees to the state health benefits plan, which is expected to save $440,000, and custodial contracts were rebid to save $50,000, while another $25,000 in savings was projected from the new boilers at the Woodside Avenue School and approximately $260,000 in interest expenses will be saved over the next 15 years by refinancing outstanding bonds. The district has also accepted a Public Service Electric & Gas audit to replace light fixtures that will result in 28 percent less electrical use. Reductions in staff positions were required, according to Solokas, and they include one elementary Discovery Room teacher and one middle school art design program position which are being eliminated due to declining enrollment. In addition, three elementary classroom sections, one elementary interventionist/literacy coach, and one middle school language arts section are being eliminated for a total of seven fewer staff positions. Solokas advised that those staff eliminations will save the district $483,000 in salary and benefit costs, which are part of the $687,215 in overall reduced expenses in the budget. Solokas said the Franklin Avenue Middle School budgeted salaries and stipends were further reduced by $54,215 and, based on recently passed legislation and the fact that there is no settled teachers’ contract, all employees will be required to begin paying 1.5 percent of their base salary to reduce the cost of health care to the district. That further reduced the district’s health insurance cost by $150,000. An additional $411,000 above the four percent cap on the tax levy, however, is being passed on to taxpayers and the $28.2 million Franklin Lakes Board of Education total budget for the 2010-11 school year, which includes $2,233,021 in debt service, will result in an increase in the local school tax rate which will increase the local school property tax on a property owner with a home in the borough assessed at the $1,280,901 average assessed value. The $25,439,185 operating portion of the total budget is $276,662 higher than last year, but the $23,129,335 to be raised by taxation to support that operating budget is $1,085,748 higher than the amount that was needed by taxation to support last year’s operating budget. That increased amount to be raised by taxation will result in the 2.1 cent tax rate increase that will lead to the $269 increase in the property tax that must be paid by the owner of a home in the borough with the average assessed value. That tax increase is determined by multiplying the tax (continued on page 14) Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from Peter Says... ome “Too much sun can be harmful to patio and deck furniture. Early Spring is a good time to protect wooden furniture with a penetrating finish”. 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 After filing a nominating petition on time, Carmen Monte, the president of the Franklin Lakes Board of Education, withdrew from the current school board election before her name was placed on the ballot. Her action leaves just three candidates for the three available seats on the board this year. Monte explained that she withdrew from the campaign for personal reasons. She thanked the staff, the administration, and the faculty with whom she worked during her tenure on the board. 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Monte’s withdrawal leaves incumbent Richard Koenigsberg and two new candidates, Christine Christopoul and Gabrielle Gutierrez, as the unopposed candidates in the election. Both Christopoul and Gutierrez live in the Woodside Avenue School. When they join the board, five of the board’s nine members will come from that school district. Koenigsberg is a seven-year member of the school board who has one child in Colonial Road School and two in the Franklin Avenue Middle School. He is a partner in the New York City certified public accounting firm of Spielman Koenigsberg & Parker. He has served as vice president of the school board, chairman of the Operations Committee, and a member of the Finance and Personnel committees and the board’s negotiations team. He has also been the board’s representative to the education foundation and to the borough council. In the community, he has been a coach of girls’ basketball and boys’ baseball. 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