The Community Liaison Committee (CLC) is a forum for examining and discussing local concerns. The usual format is to engage speakers who address issues affecting Manhasset residents or, on a larger scale, affecting the Town of North Hempstead. Last week Dr. Lawrence Bozzomo, Superintendent of Schools, addressed the group of 17 in an ongoing effort by the school district to target specific community groups in order to explain and promote the bond issue.

William D'Antonio, president of CLC, opened the meeting by saying he was a member of the school board when Dr. Bozzomo was hired. Taking the podium, Dr. Bozzomo said the board hired him, in part, because of his 26 years experience as a superintendent in three different districts, that he is a veteran and a professional. He said that in the wake of the reassessment he has become a lightning rod for disappointment. He made some general comments and answered some questions while advancing the topic at hand--the school bond issue.

He mentioned that the Manhasset School District has a long heritage of excellence and that it is a privileged community. Due to the combination of factors including the shifting tax base toward a greater burden on the residential sector and the reassessment some have referred to the situation as "the perfect tax storm." Dr. Bozzomo mentioned several times that he wished to "get it on the table that all was not hunky dory before he showed up." When he arrived, the district had the highest per pupil cost among comparable districts and was a full 15 percent higher than the school in second place. Today the district is still highest but only 4 percent higher than the school in second place. "To a taxpayer that means little," he said, "but as a manager it means a lot. It means you are getting costs under control. Some residents call for a 10 percent reduction in costs-that is not going to happen with or without me."

The Manhasset Board of Education commissioned the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to study elements of fiscal performance. At this point in time, he said the district had the right blend of business officials and CAC members to do the job. Areas of focus were cost per student, teachers' contracts (June 30 current teachers' contracts are up for renewal) and a five year cost model which, said Dr. Bozzomo, studies "if we keep doing what we keep doing what will it look like in five years? Most see what needs to be done", he said "the question is do they have the will to do it?"

Dr. Bozzomo then answered some questions, familiar ones now, as they are raised at almost every public forum. Paul Early asked, "Why establish a true middle school?" Dr. Bozzomo said the elementary schools cannot tolerate the number of students enrollment projections predict. Studies to relocate the kindergartens proved unworkable and the focus was then shifted to relocating the sixth grades. Rae Dowling brought up the Munsey Park bond issue of six or seven years ago and asked, " Wasn't that supposed to remedy future problems? Is the same problem of inadequate space going to be replayed over and over again?" "No," said Dr. Bozzomo, "the community is just about built out." Bill D'Antonio added that enrollment projections are accurate five years out but beyond that they are unreliable.

There were questions seeking specific numbers. How many students are in the sixth grade? (2003-2004 over 200) How many are in the fifth grade? (2003-2004 over 220 ) How many students in Shelter Rock kindergarten? (over 758) In Munsey Park kindergarten? (around 752). What number of students could be in each class before there is damage to the children? The answer was that that depends on the teacher, subject and parents. There are 35 classrooms for the children in each of the elementary schools. Twelve classrooms are used for special subjects such as art, music, science lab, computer lab, and special education. Linda Fields asked if of the 12 classrooms dedicated to special subjects, if six were reassigned to core curriculum, could the sixth grade stay put? The answer was yes. Another asked how much of the cost of the bond was assigned to moving the sixth grade to the secondary school? The answer was about $16 million.

At this point it was asked if every item in the bond issue had been checked for what was frivolous and what was an educational necessity. "To survive," Paul Early said, "the bond needs to be bare bones and geared to education."

The question about the athletic field lights being on at inappropriate times was raised. Dr. Bozzomo said it was not the intent to have the lights on when unnecessary and because they are on computer he can get a printout to check on the complaint. Phyllis Clark offered to give him a list of the dates in question.

Dr. Bozzomo said three supervisory aides had just been replaced by a Director of Security, creating a savings. Someone asked, "What does a director of security do?" Dr. Bozzomo said there are many doors that are locked at 8:10 a.m. which the students prop open for convenience at 8:12 a.m. This gentleman sees that the doors remain secure until the district can get a real security system, which is in the bond proposal.

Mary Clark, whose husband is Stuart Clark, pastor of the Community Reformed Church where last week's meeting was held, said, "I don't doubt your leadership nor do I doubt the enrollment growth, but we have been hit with an increase in taxes, the library bond and now the proposed school bond. Some of our seniors are falling through the cracks. We have asked the pharmacists in town to alert us if there is a resident having difficulty paying for prescriptions." She added that Dr. Bozzomo had mentioned earlier that improvements in the schools can be likened to improvements in the home. "Sometimes you must decide between tile from Home Depot or Italian tile." "Our seniors are struggling to repair the roof," she said, "not buy Italian tile. Younger families moved here at much lower tax rates and they are having difficulty too." Mary Clark said her point was that there must be a balance between older and younger in a community and she felt we were very much out of balance.

Dr. Bozzomo said he couldn't agree more. The community should not divide into camps as that is disruptive to both the seniors and the children. He said he promised the board to deliver a plan for the budget to take all that into consideration. He said "when things were good the district just hired a consultant, added layer upon layer, and never re-engineered what they were doing." He said he was seen as Draconian due to the turnover in the district. It's not that they were not good people, just not good for now. Someone had to look at the reality, focus on today, and make tough decisions for tomorrow.

At several other points the discussion turned to the problem for seniors living on a fixed income and in general the burden for many caused by the higher taxes. Portfolio erosion prior to the reassessment only exacerbated the problem. Eleanor Lange, representing town councilman Wayne Wink, whose district includes Spinney Hill--said there the citizens do not share declining portfolios and do share the tax increases.

Throughout the morning Dr. Bozzomo referred to slides explaining the district's position and the changing face of the conceptual plan. The discussion invariably returned to problems brought about by the reassessment. It was apparent to everyone that the discussion of the school bond is inextricably tied to discussion of overall taxes in the area. The rise in taxes definitely makes the bond a more difficult sell.

Dr. Bozzomo said that this week the board makes its decision when the vote on the bond will take place. More than likely, he said, the scaled down version will be put to a vote in the fall. That is a wise decision said a taxpayer whose school taxes rose over 80 percent. "This past October the school tax increase was shocking and next October it should be less so."

The slide show presentation regarding the school bond proposal can be viewed on the district's web site--Manhasset.K12.NY.US. The line by line cost analysis can be obtained from the community relations office at the high school. It is also available on the school district's web site. The line by line costs allow the consumer to decide what he can and cannot live with. "No one is interested solely in the bottom line," said Lawrence Bozzomo, "Manhasset didn't get to be Manhasset without focusing on education."

The Community Liaison Committee embraces all community organizations and all residents are invited and encouraged to attend the meetings to enjoy the conversation and become better informed.