Unlike last year's series of personal testimonials in favor of keeping middle school drama, third grade strings, elementary school language or an athletic team, the board meeting on Feb. 3 was a bona fide budget meeting. Dr. Austin Gavin, interim assistant director of business, began by saying he was the eighth business director in nine years and had had two months to prepare the budget thus far. Generally, he said, he goes through 10 to 12 drafts, and that night's presentation represented the fifth draft. For the record, draft one of the budget was $73,477,092 or a 12.8 percent increase. Draft five is $70,301,254 or a 7.9 percent increase. He stressed the budget was a work in progress. He said he was not prepared at this time to discuss all aspects of the budget, that his discussion focused on site based budgeting at the two elementary schools, followed by a discussion of the assessment changes in Nassau County.

Next was a presentation by elementary school principals, Dr. Jean Kendall, Munsey Park (MP), and Robert Geczik, Shelter Rock (SR). For the school year 2005-2006 MP has a total projected enrollment of 855 students (5.2 percent increase) and 40 teachers; SR has a projected 775 students (2.5 percent increase) and 37 teachers.

A summary of the costs at MP 2004-05/ 2005-06 with the variances is: salaries, $7,282,000/$7,777,000 up 6.8 percent; benefits $2,057,000/$2,430,000 up 18.1 percent; equipment, 0/ 14,555, other expenses, 95,000/ 96,000 up 1.0 percent; supplies, $86,800/$99,100 up 14.2 percent; total direct costs, $9,520,800/$10,416,650 up 9.4 percent. The direct cost per pupil last year was $11,710 and this year is $12,183, an increase of 4 percent.

A summary of the costs at SR 2004-05/2005-06 with the variances is: salaries, $8,315,000/$8,569,000 up 3 percent; benefits $2,328,000/$2,727,000 up 17.1 percent; Equipment, 0/ 0, Other expenses, $96,000/$95,000 down 1.0 percent; Supplies, $87,870/$79,600 down 9.2 percent; Total direct costs, $10,826,700/$11,470,600 up 5.9 percent. The direct cost per pupil last year was $14,320 and this year is $14,801, an increase of 3.4 percent.

For a copy of the presentation call Brenda Damiani, in Community Services, at 267-7750.

The next board meeting, on Thursday, Feb. 17, will address the budgeting at the middle school and the high school.