Across New York, school districts are developing budget proposals for the forthcoming year. Southwest of Plattsburgh Monday, residents packed a Saranac Central School District special meeting after rumors of impending layoffs swirled. Many who attended weren’t satisfied with the answers they got from the superintendent.
The middle school auditorium was full of district residents who wanted information about the school’s fiscal plans and efforts to close a $3.3 million deficit.
Town of Saranac resident Mark Plumadore was among those who had heard rumors of staff layoffs.
“I don’t know that it’s fact but I’m hearing there’s supposed to be at least 15 people that are going to be getting laid off. I’m also hearing that there’s going to be $80,000 approved in raises for four separate individuals, not $80,000 each, $20,000 each for a total of $80,000.”
Before the meeting started, Superintendent Javier Perez confirmed the proposed budget did include layoffs, despite other employees getting salary increases.
“Well, it’s just a condition of the state, right? So right now we’re facing a 1.39 percent increase in Foundation Aid. I mean it just doesn’t cut it. You know inflation’s way higher than that. The cost of everything’s going up. So it’s just a difficult time for everybody."
Pat Bradley asks, "How do you answer to you’re laying off people, but you’re also giving raises?"
"Well a contract’s a contract," Perez replies. "A contract doesn’t care what condition the economy is. A contract doesn’t care about people’s opinions. A contract’s a contract and once it’s negotiated we have to do what we said we were going to do in the contract.”
While Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget included a 3% increase to Foundation Aid funding on average, many districts, including Saranac, are slated for smaller increases.
Beyond layoffs, Plumadore was among many waiting to ask about the district’s fiscal responsibility, pointing to the sale of a school building.
“They have Cadyville School down here that we sold a few years back for $200,000. We’re renting that building for $20,000 a month and we’re responsible for all upkeep and maintenance of the building as the renter not as the owner. Why did we sell it to turn around and rent it for an astronomical amount of money? That makes no sense what-so-ever. And it all falls on the burden of the Saranac taxpayers.”
During the meeting, Perez outlined three budget options, each of which includes staff reductions. Plan A includes reductions of an administrator, two deans, a health teacher, the sixth-grade music program, and six elementary teachers, mitigated by two retirements and one resignation. Plan B and C would not include the administrator and dean layoffs and Plan C would also reinstate the sixth-grade music program.
Public comments began with people coming to a mic at the front of the auditorium, but that soon devolved to shouted questions for Superintendent Perez.
“Where’s the million dollar grant?” a woman shouts.
“We’re still holding onto that grant to see how to utilize it the best," Perez responds. "So we still have the million dollar grant to utilize for the Cadyville building.”
The woman ripostes, “You’re kind of putting the cart before the horse with that. You don’t know if you have that money yet.”
“We do have the million dollar grant. We do,” Perez assures her.
“Then where is it?” she asks.
“It’s missing money," a man interjects. "But you’re still not answering the question. You said the grants are pending. You don’t know if they’re coming through yet.”
After about a half hour, Board Chair Tracy Allen-Waite cut off public comments, much to the consternation of those attending.
“We are going to close this portion of the comments section.”
In the midst of the resulting audible groans someone yells, “That’s disgusting!”
Saranac resident Jessica Bassett Allen graduated from the high school and called the district’s presentation a bunch of “hogwash.” She said she once worked for the state budget and governor’s offices on budget issues.
“To assess what’s going on with a budget you need details and I feel like there was a big deficit of details here tonight. And I’m very disappointed the public comment period was closed down early because I think there were a lot of really good sharp questions coming through and certainly more people who were feeling energized to ask their questions when that was shut down. As a parent and a taxpayer in this district my values are not reflected in this budget. I think that’s what a lot of people were feeling in the room.”
After the public comment period closed the board went into executive session. They returned without reporting on those proceedings and then adjourned.
The Saranac School District, with 1,479 students, is NOT affiliated with the Saranac Lake School District.