MAMAKATING – A crowd of approximately 300 people came to the Rock Hill Firehouse this past Thursday evening, in order to listen to Monticello School District superintendent Dr. Patrick Michel outline potential solutions to the district's financial shortfall. As it stands right now, the school district is facing a gap of approximately $3.5 million. This money would either have to be recovered through an increase in taxes, a decrease in spending, or some combination thereof. If the district were to rely upon taxes alone to solve the problem, residents would be faced with yet another large school tax increase — this time of just over 14 percent.

The issue for the Village of Wurtsboro will be whether or not the district decides to keep open the Emma Chase Elementary School, long a fixture in the village. Mamakating council members Dr. Robert Justus and Judith Young were on hand to listen to what Michel had to say with regard to the proposal to close the school. Both were adamant that the district should seek alternatives other than the closure.

However, Michel said that the district is still searching for the best solution.

"No decisions have been made," he said in response to queries by a number of residents.

But Michel said that something must be done to fill the gap. Some of the ideas that are being considered are things such as program and staffing cuts; the outsourcing of certain programs, like busing; an increase in class sizes; cuts in music, athletics and after-school activities; and an increase in student transportation distances, which would mean more students would have to walk or seek other forms of transportation in order to get to school.

"[Schooling] isn't like other industries," Michel said. "There is not as much latitude for choices as to where to cut."

Michel is referring to the fact that education is a very highly regulated industry, and that, when spending cuts must be made, there is a minefield of mandated programs that cannot be touched, often giving administrators few options when it comes to reducing spending. This combination of mandates and budget shortfalls can be tricky to negotiate.

Albany is currently facing a budget shortfall — somewhere in the order of $9 billion — which is now trickling down to towns and villages. It is, therefore, unsurprising that the Monticello School District will have to shoulder its share of the burden. As of right now, the governor's budget calls for cuts to the district of approximately $1.9 million. The poor economic situation only makes matters worse, according to Michel.

"We have a choice between programs and facilities," Michel said in regard to the cuts.

A handout prepared by the district states that it is facing "an unprecedented economic climate which has resulted in a substantial decrease in the ability of New York State to sustain the present system," and that, to bring the situation under control, "tough choices" need to be made.

Interestingly, there was little talk of cutting teachers' salaries, most likely due to the fact that the vast majority of teaching jobs are contractual. The union contract runs out this year, however, so it is likely that the district will ask the teachers' unions to shoulder their share of any proposed budget cuts.

"Everything is on the table," said Michel about the upcoming negotiations.

There will be several other public forums at which residents can express their opinions or ask questions. On Wednesday, February 11, at 7 p.m., at the Monticello Firehouse; on Thursday, February 12, at 7 p.m., at the Emma Chase Elementary School; and on Tuesday, February 24, at 7 p.m., at the White Lake Firehouse.

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