Friday, March 23, 2018
Vol. 78, No. 12
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School districts take a hard look at enhancing security procedures
READING PARTNERS
BY GARY SIMEONE
Hempstead Town Clerk Sylvia Cabana (back right) visited and read aloud to Mrs. James’ 2nd-grade class at Northside School in Levittown during the school’s “Pick A Reading Partner” program in early February. Cabana read Manuelo the Playing Mantis by Don Freeman, and the students got a chance to chat with her and ask questions about what being a town clerk is like.
After the school shooting in Florida last month that left seventeen people dead, school districts around the country have been taking a long hard look at their overall security systems. In Levittown, the school district has implemented several changes to enhance its security features, to protect the safety of its students and staff. School Superintendent Tonie McDonald posted a letter to parents and concerned community members, on the district website, stating the security features and protocols “The safety and security of our students is our highest priority, and we take it very seriously,” said McDonald. “I have always felt that our schools are safe, but recent events have caused us to take a hard look at what we do and discuss how we can do better.” Some of the security measures that the district has undertaken include extensive video surveillance equipment inside and outside of school buildings. Additional monies have also been set aside in the 201819 school budget for upgrades to newer, more efficient cameras which will include
3D images inside all classrooms. The school district was one of the first in the County to implement the Nassau County Police Department’s, RAVE phone application for all of its schools. The application quickly provides information to the police department should a serious situation arise. Retired law enforcement personnel have been hired to act as security guards in each of the district’s buildings and at a school board meeting earlier this month, plans were made to hire three additional security guards at the high schools. In the letter, the Superintendent stated that the Levittown school district was the only one to date to have a threat assessment of its transportation department conducted by a subdivision of the Department of Homeland Security. “The review was conducted last year and they were impressed by the protocols that we have in place “ said McDonald. The Superintendent said that she was one of 15 school superintendents, who serves on the Safety Committee of the Nassau County Council of School Superintendents.
Town bond rating rises from junk to investment grade
Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings has upgraded the Town’s long-term credit rating from junk bond status to investment grade. S&P has assigned a BBBrating to much of Oyster Bay’s bonds and has affirmed its stable outlook. The Town is credited by S&P for its strong budgetary performance in 2017 and 2018. The agency reported, “The general fund surplus is the first positive result the town has produced in the last 12 fiscal years.” Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph
Saladino stated, “This upgrade is the best financial news Oyster Bay has had in years. We are being recognized by Wall Street after independent reviews and this great news clearly proves the bold steps we have taken to fix Oyster Bay’s finances. My administration put a stop to the past practice of endlessly borrowing against the future, and paid off $84 million in 2017. We will continue to improve our finances and pay down another $50 million in debt this year.” S&P highlighted the Town’s com-
mitment to “reducing its debt load and indeed has retired roughly $84 million of debt in 2017 alone.” The Town historically borrowed up to $100 million a year for capital projects. However, the Saladino administration reversed this trend in 2017 by not borrowing for capital projects. In cooperation with the Town Board, the administration accelerated debt service payments. Debt service payments in the 2018 budget are estimated to help decrease the Town’s total debt by an additional $50 million.
“The stable outlook recognizes a structurally balanced budget underpinned by improved management practices and budgetary assumptions,” the agency said. S&P highlighted the Town’s stronger budgetary performance in fiscal years 2017 and 2018, which do not rely on onetime revenues. The agency recognized the Town for restoring structural balance to its budget with more realistic assumptions.
Town to inspect over 700 miles of roads PAGE 3 Hicksville schools honor excellence PAGE 18