Valley Stream Herald 01-11-2024

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______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________

HERALD

your HEALTH body / mind / fitness

and JANUARY 11, 2024

with a focus on:

Resolutions and Healthy Lifestyle

Vol. 35 No. 3

District 24’s bus deadline

Tax assessor aims for accuracy

Page 5

Page 8

JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

$1.00

Valley Stream F.D. celebrates opening of training facility By REI WolFSoHN Correspondent

Keith Rossein/Herald

Village dignitaries and the Valley Stream Fire Department including Chief Patrick Scanlon, second from left, celebrated the opening of the new $1 million multipurpose fire training facility.

A $1 million investment by the Village of Valley Stream in its fire department for a new multipurpose training facility was celebrated during its opening by dignitaries and fire department personnel. The new firefighter training facility is named after Captains John Tate and Michael Moran, who both died in the Temple Gates of Zion fire in 1979. Department Chief Patrick Scanlon said he hoped the new training site, located on Hawthorne Avenue, would not only be a boon to existing members but also enhance recruitment of new ones to the department. “People from the community are going to be able to come down here and see us training, what we’re all about, and what we do,” Scanlon said. The design of the new training facility took about six months. Danny Youngsen, a former captain of the department who currently works for the New York City Fire Department, ContinueD on Page 10

Central’s spending plan focuses on repairs, rebuilds By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo azingariello@liherald.com

The Valley Stream Central High School District held its annual budget tour and inspection throughout its three high schools and Memorial Junior High School last Saturday, providing community members with an in-depth look into the financial needs and considerations for the upcoming budget. Reflecting last year’s budget decisions, which entailed an $11 million increase in the 202324 spending plan, the district directed funds towards various big-item initiatives. This year, the district plans on investing

$2.26 million in capital improvement projects alongside two propositions for capital reserve fund expenditures. Rather than large-scale renovations and upgrades, the district’s current financial focus is on mending and re pairing existing infrastructure under much more modest spending ter ms without the generous inflow of pandemic aid.

last year’s budget priorities District-wide improvements in last year’s budget included the introduction of new musical instruments, state-of-the-art lockers, and a district-wide music festival at Carnegie Hall.

Additional expenditures aimed at enriching student experiences are initiatives like free SATs for all students, Culturally Responsive Instruction training for teachers, and expansion of programs such as Girls Inc. and My Brother’s Keeper. The district also committed to maintaining existing programs, including mental health wellness centers and technical training initiatives. Despite a notable increase in spending, the district demonstrated fiscal responsibility by leveraging a generous $10 million boost in state aid, maintaining the tax levy at approximately $87.9 million for the sec-

ond consecutive year in 2023.

Financial snapshot for upcoming budget This year’s budget tour and inspection provided community members an opportunity to gain insights into each school’s current wish list of improvement items. At North High School, the

need will be on enhancing facilities with projects such as a HVAC upgrade and replacement, alongside other basic improvements like an interior g ymnasium par tition wall replacement and main office fur niture. Exterior maintenance projects include concrete and blacktop repairs. The total ContinueD on Page 9


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