Proposals suspended: BOE creates new committee to analyze financials, assess options

Northport-East Northport School Board President Larry Licopoli issued a statement at yesterday’s board of education meeting indicating, in light of recent public meetings regarding the potential sale/lease of three school district properties, a “pause” on all information and offers received by the district in order to allow time to assess, with community input, the options in relation to the use of the properties. A resolution to create a Financial Planning Board Committee was also approved unanimously by the board. 

President Licopoli’s full statement, with details on the new committee, can be read in its entirety below. 

The Board liaison team and district administration met on October 17 with the goal of framing a financial response to the 2-million-dollar reduction in revenue resulting from the LIPA settlement, effective the 27-28 school year. We reviewed the recommendations of the Long-Range Financial Planning Committee who presented their recommendations to the Board nearly a year ago. Some of these recommendations included:

1. Have a plan to reduce expenses and/or have alternative revenue sources for the 2027-28 school year. This is the first year the district will not receive the $2 million per year LIPA settlement payment, which would immediately create a $2 million revenue shortfall. A plan should be timed to align with the 2027-28 school year and may include a retirement incentive, program cuts, or other planned expense reduction.

2. The committee noted the district’s high per-pupil spending relative to its Suffolk County peers and the extensive programming offered to district students. The committee recommends that the district examine expenses impacting per pupil spending and establish its own performance management targets and those of other credible sources to compare to its peers and itself.

3. Engage a real estate firm to gather proposals for the potential sale or lease of William J. Brosnan, Dickinson, and/or Bellerose.

4. The district’s Long-Range Financial Plan should be enhanced and updated on an annual basis.

The Long-Range Financial Planning Committee also indicated that the District's finances are sound and there is the capacity and resources to meet near and long-term challenges. The full report of the Long- Range Financial Planning Committee is available on the district website.

That said, the Board liaison team recommends that the Board and administration analyze the financial impact of the revenue shortfall to assess, with community input, all options relative to the use of district properties. Furthermore, the Liaison team recommends adding the following resolution to New Business for Board approval:

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education approves the recommendations of the Board liaison team to create a Financial Planning Board Committee to include Trustee Taylor, Trustee McNaughton, Trustee Loughran, President Licopoli and Trustee Badanes to carry out the above-mentioned recommendation in the following manner:

1. All information and proposals that the district received shall be suspended until such time that the financial impact statements have been identified and reviewed with the public for their input.

2. The meetings of this newly formed Board Committee will be held in public, and a Zoom viewing option will be available. Time and location will be noticed along with a specific schedule.

3. Agenda details and minutes will also be available and posted on the district website.

4. The November 30 meeting of the Board will be designated as a Committee of the Whole for the purpose of deliberating and discussing the findings, to date, of the liaison team along with projected next steps.