School May Ask for More $
Volume 49, Issue 10
By David Crohn

The Fire Island School District is considering the resurrection of a measure that would bring much-needed improvements to the Woodhull School, officials said.

First proposed in 1997, then voted down by taxpayers in January, the three-pronged construction referendum would replace a 2,000-gallon oil tank and expand the gymnasium to add storage and seating space.

“It’s under discussion [by the school board],” said school board Vice President James Ragusa.

He said the district may alter the $900,000 referendum or present it to voters again, as is, in coming months. Either way, he said, “This issue is not dead.”

Replacing the tank is the most pressing concern—it’s almost 30 years old and has reached the end of its usable life—but the district has tied it with the other projects to keep costs low, said Superintendent Wendell Chu.

“If there is a leak, we would be liable for a million-plus dollars,” Chu said, but “most schools try to wrap up [construction projects together to save money] and we try to be fiscally prudent.”

In 1997 estimates were made and voters gave the OK to bond $400,000, but when the project was put out to bid, new estimates far surpassed that amount. The project’s price tag has gone up since then, and the district would fund the rest of the project using money from a capital reserve fund that has been accumulating since 2002.

Per household, the project would cost the average household an additional $15-$20 annually for 10 years, school officials say.

Residents who have criticized the measure say taxes are too high and the school has done a poor job of communicating its agendas. And the $4,521,567 budget has been called bloated by those who point to the fact that there are only 78 kids in the district.

“They have an appearance of being a kingdom instead of a public entity. If the tank is such an issue why haven’t they dealt with it yet? I think it’s a ferocious disregard for fiscal discipline,” said Ocean Beach resident Andrew Was.

“Until voters vote down the budgets and call them to task we are always going to have this problem. It’ll be something next year and again the year after that. It’s just another way for the district to thumb their noses at us and get more money just because they can,” said Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association President Alan Brockman.

School officials stress that board meetings are open to the public and a detailed brochure was sent out before the January 25 election. And, the district has a Web site, www.fi.k12.ny.us, updated by the superintendent, who said that his door is always open. “I’ve talked with anyone who wants to talk with me,” he said.

And, Chu said, although the district acknowledges its responsibility to keep the public informed, taxpayers have to bear part of that responsibility.

“School employees aren’t really able to go out and get people to support [our projects]. We can’t sell a referendum. We can provide information as best we can, but that’s it,” Chu said.