Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1
Friday, March 19, 2021
Vol. 70, No. 12
GUIDES TO SCHOOLS, CAMPS PAGES 23-42
ABUSE VICTIM SUES ST. MARY’S
BLAKEMAN TO CHALLENGE CURRAN
PAGE 4
PAGE 6
E.W. ed board presents $63M budget proposal
W H E AT L E Y R U N S
Features less than 2 percent tax levy, overall increases from last year BY K AT I E F E N T O N East Williston’s Board of Education recommends a $63,755,174 budget for the 2021-22 school year, it announced during budget workshops on Feb. 26, March 3 and March 10. The draft budget, which is a 1.05 percent increase over the $63,091,128 budget for 2020–21, comes with a property tax levy increase of 1.67 percent. The budget draft is made up of a $7.5 million administrative component, $6.81 million capital component and $49.45 million programs component. The administrative component and programs component both increased slightly, mainly due to contractual salary increases, as well as benefit increases to cover the greater health costs expected. Districtwide uses for the capital funds would include classroom door replacements with swipe access and further work on security
upgrades that began in 2020. Other projects covered by the capital funds would include a vestibule renovation at the Wheatley School and a boiler upgrade at Willets Road School. The capital component is smaller than in the previous year’s budget, however. Due to the success of renovations over the past few years, the board was able to decrease the cost of utilities in the budget by $32,000. Across all three schools, a very slight increase is projected for enrollment and staffing. At the March 10 budget workshop, administrators from North Side School, Willets Road School and the Wheatley School broke down what the proposed budget would mean for their respective facilities. For North Side School, the budget would remain similar to last year’s, with small increases to account for replacements of materials like walkie-talkies and textbooks. Discussing what parents Continued on Page 52
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHEATLEY SCHOOL
The Wheatley Wildcats track team sports new uniforms as numerous members posted personal bests in the 5K.
Ironworker electrocuted at Mineola LIRR station BY R OB E RT PELAEZ
Long Island Rail Road station in Mineola Saturday morning, according to the Metropolitan An ironworker was in criti- Transportation Authority. Officials from the transit cal condition after being electrocuted while working on authority said the incident octhe Third Track Project at the curred around 9:30 a.m. Satur-
day when crews were erecting a pedestrian bridge above the railroad tracks. Officials said the crane that the workers were using came into contact with high-voltage wires. Continued on Page 53
Support local journalism and get real news Subscribe to the Blank Slate Media newspaper of your community https://theislandnow.com/subscription/