Friday, April 10, 2020
Vol. 96, No.36
FOUNDED 1923
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LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
Remote socializing PAGE 11 n Eggs-actly! PAGE 13
School board, budget vote pushed back to June
MEALS FOR SUPERHEROES
BY RIKKI MASSAND
Garden City residents joined together in the past weeks to help feed the health care workers at NYU Winthrop Hospital. More than 700 donors have spent $72,000 to donate over 6,000 meals from over 33 local food establishments. For more information about how to participate, please see page 12.
Village Board discusses lower tax levy, shifting capital outlay BY RIKKI MASSAND On Thursday, April 2 Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi outlined adjustments to the Village Budget proposed for 2020-’21 as the Board of Trustees, department heads and several community members joined in for a
Zoom meeting version of a Budget work session. Suozzi explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has implications for the budget decision-making, including downward adjustments to anticipated revenue interests from village investments; a reduction for anticipated Building Department
revenues, a potential reduction in New York State Aid, reduced fee revenues from recreation programs and anticipated increases for healthcare and pension costs for current and past municipal employees. “All of these factors, both See page 27
The annual school district election and budget vote, which this year would have taken place on Tuesday May 19, has been pushed back until at least June 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state-mandated measures to close schools and keep social distancing in place. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kusum provided updates from the New York State Education Department to the Garden City Board of Education and community members during a virtual meeting of the Board on Tuesday evening, April 7. “The budget vote and election, moved to at the earliest June 1, is subject to further state directive as to the time, location and manner of this voting process. The District still needs further Gov.’s executive order and/or guidance from the State of New York for the date the school district budget vote and election will be held -- this is still evolving and with the Governor’s broad authority to waive the regulatory requirements, we cannot necessarily assume that the revised budget vote and election would follow in the same timeline or procedures that we’re accustomed to,” she explained.
Budget Sessions Ahead, Presentation to be Online
For Garden City Public School’s district budget process and review, the next several weeks are key. The May 19 date is no longer relevant. This week the Board would have heard a ‘final round’ budget presentation from Dr. Sinha and staff Tuesday; Part II Instructional Components of the 2020-’21 school budget including Athletics, Special Education and Technology. The PowerPoint presentation for Part II Instructional Components will be available on the district’s website next week, and residents are asked to email any questions they have about the budget (based on the information presented) to Dr. Sinha at supt@gcufsd.net. For the Tuesday April 21 Board of Education meeting, the Board will host a discussion of these parts of the Instructional budget as well as providing the community with updates to the See page 27
AP exams, Regents modified for remainder of year PAGE 3 7th annual ‘Linen Lift’ drive sets collection record PAGE 3