_______________ east meadow ______________
HERALD May 16, 2024
Voters to hit polls for BOE race
A parade for the Little League
Page 3
Page 4
VOL. 24 NO. 21
with a focus on programs and activities
$1.00 $1.00
MAY 16 - 22, 2024
NUMC treats burns of injured deputy fire chief unteer Fire Department transported the injured instructor to NUMC, which has a The Nassau University Med- 12,000-square foot burn center. Aside from Stony Brook Uniical Center in East Meadow provided life-saving care to a versity Hospital in Suffolk deputy fire chief last week, County, NuHealth — the health after he was seriously burned care organization that oversees in an accident at the Nassau NUMC’s operations — offers County Fire Service Academy the only other center on Long Island that can in Old Bethpage. e f f e c t ive ly t re at According to serious bur ns. Michael Uttaro, the Additional bur n Nassau County units are in BrookFire Marshal, lyn and Queens. around 10:30 a.m. “The Plainview on May 9, the depufire department ty chief, who works was quickly on the as an instructor at DR. GRAcE TiNG scene, which his the academy, was Chief medical officer, part of their protosetting up an exerNassau University cols, and transportcise called a “shiped him here to board fire train- Medical Center NUMC, which is ing.” Firefighters learn how to our primary burn center here extinguish a live fire on a prop in Nassau County — and that’s of a boat or ship, Uttaro why we’re happy he’s here,” Uttaro said. “He was here withexplained. “As they were setting up to in just a couple of minutes. He get ready for the live fire por- was treated in the emergency tion of that training, there was room, he was evaluated, and he combustible liquids that were was quickly brought up to the ignited, causing a flash fire,” burn center at NUMC for evaluation and further treatment.” Uttaro said. “The deputy chief Uttaro was asked at a news instructor sustained serious conference on May 9 if these burns.” The fire was quickly extin- sorts of incidents occur freguished, and the Plainview VolContinued on page 2
By JORDAN VALLONE
jvallone@liherald.com
Tim Baker/Herald
Marking another Founders Day East Meadow’s Parent Teacher Associations marked Founders Day on May 6, uniting representatives from each of the district’s schools, and honoring important guests. Central administrators Jason Supple, Kelly Nixon, Patrick Pizzo, Jenn Frisenda, Ken Rosner and Dave Spinnato, with Tracy Rudd of the PTA Council. Story, more photos, Page 8.
East Meadow schools pitch $251.5M budget for 2024-25 By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
The East Meadow Board of Education has approved a $251.5 million budget for the 2024-25 school year, which represents a $13 million increase over the current budget. The spending plan includes a 3.24 percent hike in the tax levy — the total amount in taxes that will be collected from district taxpayers. The budget-to-budget increase differs from the amount that a taxpayer actually pays, according to Patrick Pizzo, the assistant superintendent for business and finance in East Meadow schools. “What the taxpayer is actually paying is the levy increase,” he said. “The levy is the local
commitment towards the revenue side of the expense budget, and that’s 3.24 percent.” Several factors contribute to how much district taxpayers actually shell out, including the different types of tax classes — such as if someone lives in a single-family home or a multi-family home, or a commercial property owner. Taxpayers usually end up paying about 70 percent of the levy, Pizzo said. During the early stages of the budget planning process, the district was considering tapping into its capital reserves fund, which is not necessarily a great thing, Pizzo added. “It would’ve been a tough year,” he said. “But we ended up with state aid, and we went up almost $3.9 million, so we’re not looking at hitContinued on page 7
A
ny burn is very serious.