North Fork schools prepare preliminary budgets

Southold Town school districts are busy preparing for the 2024-2025 school year with budget season well underway. The numbers below are all subject to change until the respective boards of education adopt the final proposals next month.

MATTITUCK-CUTCHOGUE

Proposed budget: $45,345,397, a 3% increase from last year’s approved budget of $44,016,344.

The district’s proposed tax cap, 2.91%, sits well below the allowable tax cap of 3.02%.

A second proposition on the ballot is to take from the district’s capital reserve funds to fix the air conditioning on the second floor and the kindergarten wing of the Cutchogue East building. Included in that proposition is also fixing the fascia and the cupola at the high school. Taking from the capital reserve funds will not affect tax rates for residents, but voters must approve the expense before the district can use the funds. The district expects to have finalized numbers for this project by the end of this month and to include them in subsequent budget presentations, according to information presented March 7 by district superintendent Shawn Petretti.

“It’s the original 1934 woodwork,” Mr. Petretti said of the fascia and cupola at the latest board meeting. “It’s more putty than woodwork at this point in time and really does need to be replaced and now’s the time to do it.”

There will be three vacant seats on the ballot for Mattituck-Cutchogue’s seven-seat Board of Education. Board vice president Douglas Cooper’s term expires June 30, as do the terms of board members Jeffrey Connolly and Karen Letteriello. Nomination packets are due April 22 by 5 p.m. to the district clerk. They can be obtained by contacting the district clerk, Lisa Bieber.

The district will hold various meetings while they finalize a budget for the Board of Education to adopt. The next budget workshop is Thursday, March 21. They will hold meetings April 4 and 18. The board is slated to adopt the proposed budget on April 18. There will be a public hearing on the budget May 14, and the school budget vote will be Tuesday, May 21, from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Mattituck High School auditorium.

NEW SUFFOLK

New Suffolk district officials are preparing a budget proposal to present to the public April 9, following the school’s transition to non-instructional. There will be one seat up for grabs on the school board. Nomination packets are due to district clerk Jana Prindle by April 22 at 5 p.m.

Officials plan to present the final budget May 14. The vote takes place Tuesday, May 21, from 3 to 9 p.m. at New Suffolk School.

For more information, visit newsuffolkschool.com.

SOUTHOLD

Proposed budget: $34,646,616, a 4.46% increase from last year’s $33,168,000, according to a presentation made by district assistant superintendent for business Charles Sheid.

Mr. Sheid said that this number is a first draft as the district is anticipating some changes to be made to the budget.

“Our next budget meeting will definitely have final numbers for the board to adopt in April,” Mr. Sheid said.

The district has yet to propose the change in tax levy as per a presentation Mr. Sheid made March 6. He made it clear, however, that the district’s tax levy cap can go up 2.91%, or $30,283,909.

The Board of Education will have two seats up for grabs, those of board president Paulette Ofrias and vice president Dr. John Crean, whose terms expired. Nomination packets are due to district clerk Patti DiGregorio by April 22 at 5 p.m.

There will be a few more meetings and budget updates before the budget is adopted by the Board of Education later this spring. A scheduled meeting took place March 13. Meetings are scheduled for April 10 and 17, when the budget is expected to be adopted. There will be a final budget meeting May 8 before the vote on Tuesday, May 21, at Southold’s high school gym from 3 to 9 p.m.

For more information, visit southoldufsd.com.

GREENPORT

Proposed budget: $26,094,986, a 10% increase from last year’s approved budget of $23,709,875.

According to a presentation by Philip Kenter, the district’s proposed tax levy increase is estimated at 3.8%, compared to last year’s 6.5%.

This year’s Board of Education election is for two seats, each with a three-year term. Nominating Candidate Folders, with blank petitions, are available at the District Clerk’s office at 720 Front Street.  Petitions must be filed in the District Clerk’s office by April 22 at 5 p.m.

The next Board of Education meeting is March 19.

For more information, visit gufsd.org.

OYSTERPONDS

District officials are still putting together a budget proposal for public review. There will be two vacant seats on the seven-member Board of Education this year. The terms of board members Erin Johnson and Philip Mastrangelo both end on June 30. Nomination packets are due to district clerk Linda O’Leary by April 22 at 5 p.m.

The latest Board of Education meeting is set for March 12. There will be a budget workshop meeting on March 26 followed by a budget hearing on May 7 before the vote on May 21.

For more information, visit oysterponds.org.