Screenshot of virtual meeting
On Tuesday night, the Farmingdale Board of Education adopted the 2020-2021 Farmingdale School District budget. The budget, adopted virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, calls for a spending plan totaling $173,076,607—an increase of $1,992,807 (1.16%) from last year’s budget—and a tax levy of 1.95%.
“The ongoing pandemic and the uncertainty of state aid made this budget a particularly challenging and time-sensitive undertaking,” said Assistant to the Superintendent for Business Michael Motisi. “Through continued conservative fiscal management, we generated a 2020-21 spending plan that maintains programs and services to students, parents, and the community at a reasonable cost. We focused on the health, safety, and operational needs of the district, and removed any non essential projects.”
On the ballot this year are two propositions that allow the district to reallocate existing resources without any additional cost to the taxpayer.
Proposition 2 asks for authorization to expend $5,000,000 from the Building and Facilities Capital Reserve Fund in order to pay the cost of district wide bathroom renovations.
Proposition 3 asks for authorization to expend $350,000 from the Building and Facilities Capital Reserve Fund to pay the cost of construction management services in connection with energy performance contract improvements that will allow the district to install solar carports.
As per the executive order issued by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, voting on the budget, along with the school board and library trustee elections, will take place on June 9, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There will be no voting at the polls; all votes must be cast by absentee ballot only. Ballots will be mailed to all district registered voters beginning May 28, 2020, along with a postage-paid return envelope. The absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk, Mary Rogers, no later than 5 p.m. on June 9, 2020. Ballots will be accepted by USPS mail, and in a designated ballot lock box— to be located at the east entrance of Howitt Middle School along Van Cott Avenue— on June 8 and June 9 only, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. All ballots will be counted by hand and the date to announce results has not been established yet.