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Massapequa school budget gets a second review By MIKE POLANSKY Correspondent
Mike Polansky / Herald
The new bulkhead at John Burns Park
Burns Park bulkhead replacement completed; bill comes due with a huge savings By MIKE POLANSKY Correspondent
The just-completed bulkhead replacement project at John J. Burns Town Park has actually saved taxpayers money. Although the project was initially scheduled for completion by Oct. 30, 2024, additional work to install floating docks at the boat ramp delayed the project’s completion until January 29, 2025. And while the original contract cost was $5.63 million, adjustments based on actual site conditions caused the final tally to come in at $5.2 million, a savings of $428,424.45. That was revealed when the Oyster Bay Town Board voted unanimously on March 10 to accept and make final payment under its contract with Chesterfield Associates for the bulkhead work. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino praised the project, stating it was one of the town’s largest and most successful. “We took into account environmental factors and used the most durable materials available,” he said. “The work was done in a way that ensures
this bulkhead will last much longer than those we’ve replaced in the past, and we came in under budget by nearly half a million dollars. This project exemplifies how we do work in this town!” In other business at the March 10 meeting, the board: • Held a hearing on a proposed six-month extension of the moratorium on shellfish harvesting in formerly leased underwater lands in Oyster Bay Harbor and Cold Spring Harbor. The extension aims to allow more time for gathering scientific data on shellfish populations and overall ecosystem health. Deputy Town Attorney William McCabe and Department of Environmental Resources Deputy Commissioner Colin Bell presented the proposal, which was supported by the Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association. • Authorized a $6,000 increase in the Parks Department budget to accommodate growing enrollment in the town’s pickleball and pilates programs. • Approved the Massapequa Chamber of CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
The Massapequa Board of Education reviewed the details of budget codes and additions and subtractions to the upcoming school budget at its March 6 meeting. It was the second presentation of the 2025-2026 budget by Ryan Ruf, the district’s assistant superintendent for business operations, who covered the 192 budget codes that make up the instructional portion of the budget, as well as the proposed capital plan for the upcoming year. One of the more uncertain aspects of the budget involves providing social workers for the district’s six elementary schools. Currently, social workers are provided through a contract with Massapequabased YES Community Counseling Service for four days a week, with $495,629 budgeted for the service. Due to increasing concerns about children’s mental health and ongoing turnover among YES-supplied social workers, the district is considering hiring full-time social workers directly. Superintendent William Brennan called this a “strategic move” to ensure adequate support for students. However, the shift would require an additional $258,000, and the issue remains unresolved.
Ruf also highlighted that there was $71,588 set aside in the budget for academic competitions, including mock trial at Harvard, robotics, science Olympics, and DECA, among others. He discussed the district’s use of BOCES services for special education, noting that these services provide a strong return on investment, with aid for classroom software, text scoring services, and outdoor education coming back to the district. Occupational education tuition through BOCES is another significant budget item, with 46 district students currently enrolled in career and technical education programs at Barry Tech and GC Tech, 11 students attending the Long Island High School for the Arts, and 6 students in the BOCES Skills Program to support students with special needs in career training. Ruf also noted small increases in teaching supplies, citing the need to purchase materials to support new, hands-on science curricula for the upcoming school year. The district expects to save approximately $328,000 from the retirement of elementary school teachers and $412,000 from the retirement of secondary school teachers. Fourteen teachers are set to retire this CONTINUED ON PAGE 9