Serving Manhasset, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Plandome and Flower Hill
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Friday, May 10, 2024
Vol. 12, No. 19
GUIDE TO MOTHER’S DAY
PETER DeJANA DIES
CLAVIN SUES MTA
PAGES 21-24
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Flower Hill clerk walks out
S I N G I N G I N T H E PA R K
Slams board over retirement benefits BY C A M E RY N O A K ES
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANHASSET SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Shelter Rock and Munsey Park Chamber Choirs sang the national anthem at the Long Island Ducks game.
State aid restored, problems remain School officials say inflation not properly addressed resulting in shortfall BY C A M E RY N O A K ES New York State finalized its school aid allocation after many school districts had already adopted their budgets as it restored foundation funding to all districts prepared to see a reduction.
Yet while foundation aid was considered restored through the state’s hold harmless policy, which ensures districts receive the same amount or more in foundation aid from year to year, final totals still came in lower than anticipated due to changes in the formula.
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When the Flower Hill Board of Trustees went to end their meeting Monday night, Village Administrator Ronnie Shatzkamer said she stopped the board for one final agenda item to be addressed that was left out – establishing employee retirement benefits. But nobody introduced the resolution upon her asking, Shatzkamer said, and the village’s attorney told the board that it could be discussed if any board member brought a motion forward to address the resolution. Everyone remained silent, Shatzkamer said. “Nobody said a word,” she said. So Shatzkamer closed her book, got up and walked out. As she walked out she said she told the board: “I am so disappointed.” Shatzkamer said the mayor asked for the item to be removed from the agenda before the meeting but that she did not as it was right before she was leaving the office. “Ms. Shatzkamer who’s employment is coming to an end asked the Board to change the terms of her own employment and the Board did not feel that it was appropriate [sic],” Rosenbaum wrote in an email to Blank Slate Media. Currently, the Village of Flower Hill does not offer any retirement benefits for its employees, ShatzkaContinued on Page 37
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Port Washington Assistant Superintendent of Business Kathleen Manuel said that while at face value foundation aid was restored, it wasn’t actually in its entirety. “Schools should have actually received more in aid if [Gov. Kathy Hochul] had let the formula run the
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way it should,” Manuel said. Despite this change, a majority of school districts on the North Shore are keeping their budgets as is. Multiple school district administrators said the inflationary increase percentage used to calculate the Continued on Page 34
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