Eastchester REVIEW THE
February 19, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 8 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Bronxville hires new DPW superintendent By KILEY STEVENS Staff Writer
Nunzio Crowley competes at the Section I wrestling championships on Feb. 13. Last weekend, Crowley won his second straight section title at 170 pounds. For story, see page 15. Photo/Mike Smith
Bronxville Board of Education faces budget shortfall By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter Early Saturday morning on Feb. 6, the Bronxville Board of Education held its first budget workshop for the 2016-2017 school year and presented an early draft total showing the possibility of a $364,345 shortfall under the 0.12 percent tax cap. However, at this stage, Assistant Superintendent for Business Dan Carlin expressed confidence that between teacher retirements, some belt tightening and a bit more state aid, the gap will close. Statewide school districts are struggling to accommodate this year’s tax cap which is tied to the inflation rate and not 2 percent. The tax cap law mandates either
a two percent tax cap on the allowable tax levy for municipal and school budgets or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. This year, the rate of inflation is just 0.07 percent. The draft budget calls for $46.9 million in spending, an increase of $507,000 over the current 2015-2016 budget total of $46.3 million. The current budget includes $665,000 of reserve funds. Enrollment is expected to be nearly flat over the next few years, Carlin said. The current kindergarten through 12th-grade student body is approximately 1,700, a number that is not projected to rise significantly over the next few years, according to Carlin.
This year, the district hoped to decrease its use of reserve funds, but that may not be possible. The draft 2016-2017 budget presented at the workshop included the same use of reserve funds—$665,000 as in the current budget, but it’s apparent that it won’t be enough next year to fend off a shortfall. Schools Superintendent Dr. David Quattrone said, “We have been weaning ourselves from the subsidy [reserve fund] if you will, but we may not be able continue that trend.” For the school district, moving forward on a budget that proposes to override the state tax cap is not an option, according to Board of Education President Denise Tormey.
A school budget that exceeds the 2 percent tax cap must be approved by a super majority of 60 percent of the voting public. If the override is voted down, then the school board has the option of coming back a second time in an attempt at an override. However, the defeat of a second version of that budget results in flat budget, or a return to the current year’s budget numbers. Bronxville has never resorted to an override vote, but Board of Education Vice President Jeffrey Rohr said that the district might have to consider an override when it comes time to put together the 2017-2018 budget. CONTACT: sarah@hometwn.com
After more than a year and a half without a superintendent, the Department of Public Works for the village of Bronxville has finally filled the position. On Monday, Feb. 8, the Board of Trustees appointed Wayne Ballard, of New City, New York, to take on the role of superintendent. Village Administrator Jim Palmer said the search took as long as it did because the village wanted to ensure that the right individual would be hired for the job. “I believe he has the right professional experience as well as educational background that will meet the needs of our village at this point in time,” Palmer said. Ballard, a professional engineer, served as the superintendent of the Clarkstown Highway Department in Rockland County for more than 15 years where he oversaw more than 70 employees for a town of 85,000 people. Bronxville’s DPW is much smaller, with only 23 employees serving a population of approximately 6,400 people. Besides the difference in size, Ballard said that he will be using his experience as a professional engineer more now than he previously did. Due to Bronxville’s small geographical size, he will be able to help with engineering projects instead of focusing solely on roads and highways. “I’ve always missed the ability to be more involved in engineering projects,” Ballard said. His list of things to do include installing 50 new LED lights in the village, and removing the coinoperated parking meters and replacing them with pay kiosks in village parking lots.
“He’s already hit the ground running,” Palmer said of Ballard. In addition to the new lighting and parking projects, Palmer added that Ballard will contribute to adding new street signs for the village, restoring the front walkway at Village Hall and repairing the village’s sanitary sewer system. The search for a new superintendent proved difficult for the village, as village officials struggled to find what they considered to be qualified candidates. In July 2014, former Superintendent Rocco Circosta left the department for a job in the private sector. In his absence, Victor Lema, the DPW foreman, served as interim superintendent, and picked up the slack during what turned into a lengthy hiring process. “Mr. Palmer and our general foreman assumed much greater roles and we’ve had people step up,” Bronxville Mayor Mary Marvin, a Republican, told the Review last year. The process was a two-step procedure, where Palmer first made sure the candidate checked out, and then determined if he was fit to move on to be interviewed by the mayor. Then, the mayor, with the help of Palmer, would vet each candidate. Although it has been around two weeks since Ballard was appointed, he told the Review that joining the department was a smooth transition. Ballard, who will paid an annual salary of $155,000, said that Circosta did a “phenomenal job,” adding that the department is very well organized. “It is a well-oiled machine here,” he said. CONTACT: kileyhometwn.com
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