Serving Manhasset, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Plandome and Flower Hill
$1.50
Friday, March 15, 2024
Vol. 12, No. 11
GUIDE TO SCHOOLS, EDUCATION & CAMPS PAGES 23-30
SEX ABUSE CASES ROIL HERRICKS BUDGET
GOP PICKS ASSEMBLYMAN TO OPPOSE SUOZZI
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PEOPLE OF MANHASSET
Manhasset schools propose staff cuts Reduction to mitigate financial strain on district BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Amid rising costs, the Manhasset Union Free School District is planning to make staffing cuts to balance its budget . The expenses that are pressuring this budget, Superintendent Gaurav Passi said Thursday night at the board of education meeting, include healthcare increases for active and retired employees – which he said have double-digit percentage increases – and increased pension costs with few retirements to balance this. Compensation and benefits amount to 75% of the district’s 2024-
2025 budget, with 5% attributed to special education services and the remaining 20% for everything else. In the current budget, compensation and benefits only amount to 56% of expenses. The district is budgeting for an expected drop in state aid, including a $629,000, or 20.7%, drop in its foundation aid from last year, Passi said. The district has called for the reinstatement of its foundation aid. Passi said the current budget is based on the reinstatement, but in the event it does not occur it would be accommodated by use of the fund balance.
“This reduction, which was unanticipated, coupled with significant increases in pension costs and retiree healthcare costs and very few retirements to offset any of these challenges, creates significant pressure on the ‘24-’25 budget,” Passi said. The superintendent said to manage the impact of the costs for compensation and benefits, the district will be reducing its staff. The staff reduction constitutes the removal of 14.45 full-time equivalent positions. “So as you know, any reduction in staff is difficult as these reductions reflect real people who have real Continued on Page 42
Manhasset to vote in uncontested elections 5 villages to conduct polling Tuesday for various races PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANHASSET SCHOOL DISTRICT
Manhasset High School student Emma Sabiston was named the winner of the Humans of Manhasset contest, a competition where students interviewed and photographed locals.
BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Manhasset residents from five of its villages will be heading to the polls Tuesday to vote in a series of uncontested races. The villages of Flower Hill, Munsey Park, Plandome, Plandome Heights and Plandome Manor will be hosting elections that encompass mayors, trustees and village justice, all featuring a single candidate running for each seat. Flower Hill The Village of Flower Hill will be holding an uncontested election
with all incumbents in the seats up for a vote seeking re-election. Five positions will be featured on Flower Hill’s March 19 ballot: mayor, three trustees and a village justice. Incumbents Mayor Randall Rosenbaum, Trustee Claire Dorfman, Trustee Gary Lewandowski, Trustee Arthur “AJ” Smith and Village Justice Dennis Reisman. All candidates are running under the Flower Hill Party. Rosenbaum was first elected as Flower Hill’s mayor in 2022, replacing former Mayor Brian Her-
rington in an uncontested election. Rosenbaum’s tenure with the village goes beyond his time as mayor, previously serving as a deputy mayor, trustee and a member of the Zoning Board. This will be Smith’s first election after coming onto the board last May to fill a vacancy. Flower Hill’s March 19 election will be held at its village hall at 1 Bonnie Heights Road from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Continued on Page 43