POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie City School District Board of Education received a dismal budget report from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Eric Rosser on Wednesday night. Rosser was joined by the district’s interim Chief Operations Officer, William Hogan, to tell the board members that the district is facing substantial budget issues, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As district officials attempt to prepare the 2020-2021 budget, the school board was advised that the current budget was understated by approximately $3 million, the BOCES budget line for students with special needs has gone $1.4 million over budget, and state aid is projected to be reduced by $1.5 million. According to Rosser, the grant funding that has covered the salaries of four assistant principals in the elementary schools has also been eliminated.
Hogan has identified a potential savings of $3 million in staff reductions, including the termination of more than 40 district employees. Dr. Rosser interjected that his administration is working diligently “Trying to retain staff members.”
Hogan and Rosser announced plans to meet with the various unions that represent faculty and staff in an effort to obtain concessions to reduce the fiscal shortfalls. Rosser said that contractual raises will cost the district approximately $1 million in the 2020-2021 budget.
One position within the district, supervisor of transportation, was eliminated at the meeting. The employee, Dawn Roger, earns $68,500 annually in the position that will be terminated as of June 30. “If any of the leaders of the district would have spent five minutes with me to learn about my duties, they probably would have reconsidered their plan.”
According to the district, Roger “will have recall rights for a period of four years from the date of the abolition of the position in accordance with state Civil Service Law. As with any PCSD staff that is laid off, the district will make every attempt to retain the impacted member by identifying vacant positions they can transition into.”
With a substantial budget gap predicted, Rosser said “Any program not required by law will need to be considered for cuts.” The list of possible cuts are elective courses at the middle and high school, academic courses, clubs, and interscholastic sports. Board member Doreen Clifford called the current situation “disturbing” and said that the crisis is responsible for sleepless nights. Clifford encouraged Rosser to plea to State Senator Sue Serino and Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson for assistance in restoring the large sum of funding that Governor Cuomo cut.
The budget vote and school board elections were also outlined by Superintendent Rosser. The head of the district called Governor Cuomo’s timeline for the votes “aggressive” with both the election and the budget vote to be done by absentee ballot. Both votes are scheduled for June 9, 2020.
