Slate Set For BCS Election

by Phillip Zema and Kieron Kramer
Three seats on the Berlin Central School District Board of Education will be contested in the election on May 18 at which time the Annual Budget for 2010/2011 will also be voted on. Petitions to be on the BOE ballot were filed on April 19. The results are that John Nash, of Grafton, will vie with Richard Beckwith, a past BOE member, for the seat being vacated by incumbent Tom Morelli, Alan Webster Jr. of Petersburgh will contest the seat held by incumbent Jeffrey Paine of Grafton and newcomer Sara Feathers will face off against incumbent Beverly Stewart. Since the vote to close the Grafton Elementary School passed 4-3, the result of this election may determine whether that decision will be reversed. Morelli voted not to close GES as did Stewart. Nash has been a tireless advocate of keeping GES open. Paine voted to close GES. Nash is resolutely opposed to the 2010-11 budget. Webster recently said that the closing of GES “makes no sense.” The positions of Beckwith and Feathers on GES and the budget were not known by press time.
At its April 13 budget workshop, the Berlin Board of Education voted 5-2 in favor of passing the 2010/2011 budget. Thomas Morelli and Beverly Stewart voted against the budget, which includes a 1.74% tax levy increase. The budget will be $18,757,983, a $476,265 increase over last year’s budget. The budget preserves programs like kindergarten, sports, the arts and distance learning. It also factors in the savings that would arise by closing Grafton Elementary; reportedly, the savings amounts to approximately $540k in instructional costs. The budget proposal also included the costs of adding four modular units to Berlin Elementary School. Over a five year span, this move will cost $494,560. Ultimately, those who voted for the budget did so because they believed it served the best interests of the students and community.
Morelli and Stewart had a list of reasons for rejecting the budget proposal. Morelli did so because he felt the community and faculty members should have a say in the budget process. He feared the public did not understand the budget and ought to be fully informed. After all, the community had no idea the Board would hold such a critical vote at a budget workshop. Not only was the community unaware of the vote, but the Board members were uninformed as well. Accordingly, the Board of Education had a minimal amount of time to rationally consider a nearly $19m budget.
Furthermore, Morelli wanted more time to investigate how much the District saved by closing Stephentown Elementary. He was not sure consolidating the elementary schools was in the District’s best interest. He was concerned that, ultimately, the State would force the District to pass an expensive, tax increasing, renovation project (e.g. to bring Berlin Elementary up to code). Finally, he felt the District needed a strong long term financial plan, especially one that integrated aspects of academic performance.
Stewart was also upset that the public was unaware of the vote. She said, “In the very least, the agenda for the workshop could have indicated that a vote would take place.” Furthermore, despite the tough economic times, the Superintendent will receive a $10,000 salary increase without public or Board discussion on the matter. On top of that, she claimed that it was not clear how much the modular buildings will cost; they have not been put out to bid yet, and the calculations do not include the cost of utility services. Moreover, she argued that it was unclear how much the District would save by closing Grafton; six months ago, it was reported that the district would save only $280k.
Additionally, she stated that consolidation will likely lead to another referendum, “a referendum that the public already voted down.” Ultimately, she feared that the Board was advocating a number of spurious short-term solutions. If implemented, they could plunge the District into deeper economic troubles. Stewart stressed that the District needs a long-term financial plan. Such a plan would be publicly transparent, and it would show the community where the District is headed.