First school budget presentation set for Tuesday night

The Riverhead School District’s first 2011-12 budget presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, at the middle school.

“We will present the preliminary budget in its entirety,” said Superintendent Nancy Carney, adding that the school board will then hold weekly budget presentations at different district schools through April 12, when the school board adopts a final budget proposal to go before voters.

“The dates for these presentations are posted on our website.”

Portions of the preliminary $111.8 million budget were presented at last month’s board meeting. Under that plan, district spending would increase by 3.28 percent, or more than $3 million But the tax levy — the amount of cash the district collects from taxpayers — would go up 5.7 percent for 2011-12, which is a $5.2 million difference. She later told the News-Review she pared the spending increase down to 1.96 percent, and informed the newspaper that the plan included eliminating 40 positions, including 15 teacher positions.

Voter registration will be held May 9 between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. and on May 10 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

A budget hearing is scheduled for May 10 in the Riverhead High School auditorium.

Taxpayers will vote on the budget May 17.

In other news, the school board is expected to accept the resignation of high school principal David Zimbler effective April 10. Associate principal David Wicks will serve as acting principal until a permanent replacement is found, Ms. Carney said.

The board is also expected to vote on a resolution to extend Ms. Carney’s contract until June 2014.