The Port Washington Board of Education re-elected Adam Smith as its president Tuesday night, with Julie Epstein rejoining him as the board’s vice president for another year.
Newly elected Trustee Sandra Alvarez was also administered the oath of office, signaling the beginning of her service on the board.
“Welcome, Sandra, and we are very much, all I think, looking forward to working with you,” Smith said.
Alvarez was elected to the board along with incumbents Smith and Trustee Nannette Melkonian in May. The three prevailed among a slate of eight candidates vying for the three seats. Alvarez’s win ousted Trustee Adam Block from the board, who was seeking re-election.
Alvarez is a lifelong resident of Port Washington who runs a private youth athletics company on Long Island.
She is also the co-president of the school district’s Special Education Parent Teacher Association, treasurer for Parents Council and has served on various school committees.
Smith and Melkonian were also sworn in. Both began their second term Tuesday night.
At its reorganizational meeting, the board opted to raise its school-provided breakfast and lunch costs. Breakfast was formerly $1 but will now be $2.50. Lunch was $2.75 for elementary students and $3 at the secondary level, but will now be $3.50 for all.
Alvarez was the only member who voted against the price increases.
Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch costs will still be granted those savings.
School breakfast and lunch prices have not increased since the 2015-2016 school year, according to Assistant Superintendent of Business Kathleen Manuel.
Manuel said the state provides a calculator to determine a fair price for breakfast and lunch. She said the calculator suggested lunch should cost $3.85, but the district opted to reduce it to $3.50 to lessen the impact of the raise.
Trustee Deborah Brooks expressed concern over the price hike for families that could be affected by the cost increases yet do not qualify for the free or reduced meal prices.
“Going from $1 to $2.50, I understand that’s the calculator, but for a family that’s been paying $1 all along, going to $2.50 may pose a hardship,” Brooks said.
Manuel said the district can “arbitrarily” reduce prices for certain students whose families may be experiencing a hardship. This can be achieved by the family filling out a form requesting the reduced prices. She said district social workers can also work with families and students to address potential hardships.
Manuel recommended the board go with the proposed amounts and not decrease the new prices.
The board raised its school facility use fees, which Brooks also questioned saying they do not reflect a gradual increase as previously discussed as an option. Brooks abstained from voting on the increase, with the rest of the board voting in favor of it.
Smith said the district’s audit determined that there was a lack of consistency in how groups were charged. He said rate changes would mostly impact groups who were not abiding by the set rates.
“My sense is that the issue is not necessarily in the rates but in the enforcement of the rates,” Smith said.
Smith said the rate changes for this year are not “significantly different” from the prior year.
Manuel said that in most cases, the district will be breaking even on what it is charging organizations to use its facilities.
Trustee Emily Beys defended the cost increase, saying that costs are rising everywhere and that this is a method for the board to increase revenues to avoid increasing taxes to the point of piercing the cap as they did in May.
Trustee Rachel Gilliar asked for a report on the impact of the facility use cost increase to ensure the district is benefiting but the community is ot being negatively affected. She said this can be used to re-evaluate the costs if needed.
After the vote was taken, Port Summer Show President Michael Siskin said fees could bankrupt them in three to five years. He said for the last two years they have paid the district $5,000 but this year were billed $15,910.
He said the bill estimate, which tripled their costs from the prior year, was given to them four days before the program began and limited their ability to find an alternative location.
“I just want you to know that the effect is pretty massive on us,” Siskin said.
Multiple other individuals affiliated with the organization spoke during the public comment and also opposed the fee increases.
The board also discussed pursuing an exploration into establishing an intermediate school for 5th and 6th graders. This school would be established at Sousa Elementary Schools, reducing the district’s elementary schools from five to four.
More information about the district’s effort to determine the feasibility of the new school can be read on archive.theisland360.com.