Voters approve 2012-2013 LCSD Budget, cuts on the way
The 2012 – 2013 Liberty Central School District budget was approved by voters tonight. The budget includes many cuts across various departments:
Staffing:
2.9 Teaching Positions (1.5-thru Attrition (Guidance & .5 Driver’s Ed)), .4 Phys Ed., .4 Reading,
.4 Science & .2 French.
3 Teacher assistants
3 Teacher Aides
1 Clerk/Typist
1 Technical Data Specialist thru attrition
1 Custodian thru attrition
We made additional cuts totaling $239,641 in the following areas:
- Reduction of summer school from 6 weeks to 4 and elimination of Pre-k Summer
program.
- Summer music lessons.
- Field Trips
- Newsletters reduced by 1
- Public information officer .2 FTE reduction
- Varsity Girl’s Tennis
- Basketball Chaperones reduced by 1 for girl’s games & 2 for boy’s games
- Cheerleading at away games for football
- Travel for wrestling matches – all will be held at home district
- 4:00 bus runs reduced from 3 days to 2
- Supplies have been cut 10%
Voters also voted in a fresh new face to the board – Shelia Parks.
Below is the ‘everything is going to be alright’ press release from the School District regarding the budget vote outcome:
Liberty voters approved the proposed 2012-13 Liberty Central School District budget on Tuesday night, with the final count of 303 yes votes to 133 no votes. The total proposed budget amount, $40,205,667 calls for a 0.5% increase in spending over last year and will increase the tax levy by 2%, which is less than the maximum allowable by New York State for this district.
Three Board of Education seats were also filled by the three eligible candidates: incumbents Daniel Parkhurst (251 votes) and Cindy Prince (239 votes) as well as newcomer Sheila Parks (245 votes). Board members serve three year terms.
“This budget represents some very difficult decisions that had to be made,” explains Superintendent Vanyo. “However, I am confident moving forward that the cost saving measures will not have a negative impact on student programs.”
The current budget proposal involved closing a $2 million gap created by the end of a $541,000 federal Education Jobs Fund grant and the increasing costs for state-mandated pension contributions and contractual salaries and benefits. The district has seen a $1.3 million loss in combined state and federal aid in the last three years. Additional state aid received this year was used to reduce taxes.
“The Board of Education works very hard to ensure that they are making the best decisions for our students,” explained Vanyo. “I am grateful that the voters took the time to come out today and that they trust in our planning and commitment to the district.”
Book Talk & Signing at Liberty Public Library
Anita Page, a former Liberty resident now living in Orange County, will be reading from her debut crime novel, Damned If You Don’t (L&L Dreamspell) at the Liberty Public Library on Tuesday, May 22nd from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The book features community activist Hannah Fox, daughter of sixties radicals, who battles the power brokers in her Catskill Mountain town when they attempt to seize a friend’s land in a fraudulent eminent domain scheme. When the scheme ends in murder and her friend becomes a suspect, Hannah probes the victim’s past hoping to uncover the killer. As she untangles a web of secrets and lies, she becomes convinced the murder was a heroic act, even when it’s clear she may be the next victim.
Page lived in Sullivan County in the seventies when she worked as a freelance feature writer for the Times Herald-Record. Her short stories have appeared in journals, webzines, and anthologies including Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices (L&L Dreamspell) and the MWA anthology The Prosecution Rests (Little, Brown). She received a Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society in 2010 for “‘Twas the Night,” which appeared in The Gift of Murder (Wolfmont Press).
She can be found online at http://www.womenofmystery.net and http://www.anitapagewriter.blogspot.com.
I’M BORED: LibertyBikeTrail.org
We’d like to introduce you to our new column, I’M BORED. A day doesn’t go by when I don’t hear someone say “There’s nothing to do up here” followed by incoherent sobbing about how boring their life is in Sullivan County. Well I’m here to help you find something to do that will be keep you busy beyond one afternoon. Each week we’ll take a look at a different community organization, project, business, park, etc… that will provide you with what you need to get off your butt and bring some non-boring to your I’m bored Sullivan County life.
Today we’ll start with a group that has opened the rail trail in Liberty, brought relevance back to the biking trails at Walnut Mountain, and has a great racing team that rides across the tri-state area for fitness and most importantly – fun. The group is LibertyBikeTrail.org. Now it may be a little unfair to start with LBT because I founded it years ago, but after I’ve met yet another Liberty resident that has no idea Walnut even exists – I have to get it out of the way! Ha!
LibertyBikeTrail.org was founded in January 2007 with the goal of bringing the Rail Trail to life, make residents aware of the benefits of bicycles, hold events where all skill levels and all ages can participate, and promote bicycle riding to the youth of Sullivan County. Over the years the organization held multiple mountain bike and music events with mixed success in the Town of Liberty. But forget all of these goals and events, their biggest achievement is getting the word out about Walnut Mountain, the Liberty Rail Trail, and their Team LBT Mountain Bike Team.
It doesn’t matter if you Bike or just like to go out for a leisurly walk or hike, the Rail Trail and Walnut Mountain provide a perfect outlet to not be bored anymore. The Liberty Rail Trail runs for 3.1 miles from the Chestnut St trail head to the location of the old railroad trestle in Ferndale. The surface is mixed grass/cinder/paved, sneakers are fine on the trail. As for bikes – you should use a Mountain Bike style bike. The trail is open year round and is maintained by volunteers and community members who walk it. There are several benches along the trail to take a break on. The trail is rich with history, at one time the O&W Rail Line used to run on the trail. For decades trains ran through Liberty on this path.
Liberty Rail Trail Information: http://www.libertybiketrail.org/liberty-rail-trail/
Walnut Mountain offers the widest array of walking, hiking, and mountain biking in Sullivan County. With over 200 acres the park is the largest mountain biking destination in Sullivan County. Carriage trails criss-cross the mountain and features over 6 miles of single track. Renegades Bike Club out of Wawarsing, NY is currently in the process of cutting another 5 miles of single track trails up at Walnut. Mountain Bikes are a must, some of the climbs could be challenging for the novice rider. Hiking with your family or family dog is another great use for Walnut Mountain. The scenery is wonderful featuring a lookout where you can see nearby Swan Lake, and wooded areas where you feel like you’ve escaped into nature.
There are two picnic areas, a baseball field, and a soccer field. Over the summer a civil war reenactment is held at the park.
Walnut Mountain Information: http://www.libertybiketrail.org/walnut-mountain/
Their Mountain Biking Team is open to anyone. The group posts rides on their facebook page and races together at races across the tri-state area. It’s all about fun really, with riders of all levels and ages just getting out and riding together. Team members ages range from 12 to 50. You never feel left out and there is never any pressure to perform, everyone cheers and supports each other. It’s really a fun group to be a part of. For more information ‘like’ the LibertyBikeTrail.org page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/libertybiketrail
There’s three wonderful things to work into your boring life, making it a little less boring. Even if you are not into fitness, just the ability to go out and enjoy a peaceful walk on a trail will lower stress and bring a smile to your face. For more information on the trails, locations, Team LBT, or how to get involved visit: http://www.libertybiketrail.org or visit their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/libertybiketrail
Skate Park: Location Raises Questions, Answers, and Activism
The Liberty Skate Park, once only a dream of Skateboarders in the Town of Liberty, is now almost ready to be built. But it’s original planned location has come under scrutiny.
The park was to be built at the Lake Street entrance to Walnut Mountain but after review the park is gaining more momentum to be built inside of the Village of Liberty near Main Street. We caught up with Town of Liberty Supervisor Charlie Barbuti and asked him his thoughts on where the skate park should be located:
I believe that the key to the success of the skate park is that it be available for use by the largest number of skate board enthusiast. I think that a skate park in the Village at the new proposed location would provide our downtown kids a premier recreation destination. It would also encourage kids to do their skateboarding off of the more dangerous streets. Based on demographics I would say that at least 1/3, maybe as high as 1/2 of the potential users of the skate park would be within walking distance. A skate park located at Walnut Mountain Park would be much less accessable to the average resident skateboarder.
I can see no advantage to locating the park on Walnut Mt, while I see many advantages to locating it in the Village. If there are advantages to the Walnut Mt. site, I would be interested in hearing them.
We also caught up with a member of Team Skate. Team Skate is a group that was founded to raise money and awareness to build a skate park within the Town of Liberty. Although this member does love the idea of building it at Walnut Mountain, he was open to other locations:
…the ground behind the stage has clearly failed to support it’s own weight, let alone the weight of a solid concrete structure. I’m not saying the ground at walnut mountain is ideal either, it isn’t. personally I’d have located the park across the street from the tennis courts at Hanofee park, the underlying bedrock is much closer to the surface there and there’s virtually no chance of the ground becoming saturated or flooded. that being said, there are MANY such locations in liberty, all better than either location being discussed. if we’re really serious about picking a better location, bring in third and fourth options…
Other members of Team Skate have been more vocal in their opposition to a downtown location:
They are trying to stop us from building at our original location based on false pretenses. They are now trying to put our park smack dab in the center of town where there is no beauty, no space for growth, and no hope for these kids to stay out of trouble. Essentially they are trying to fix the pot holes out back of the old parks and recreation spot…
After polling some property owners in the community we found that their answers to a location we’re generally split. The overwhelming answer for Walnut was “These kids have had their sites set on Walnut for Years, you can’t just take it away”. While the opposition was concerned about bringing trouble into their neighborhood, and the safety of getting to the Lake Street entrance of Walnut from downtown.
Others were convinced that the money for the park will just be used to fix a sink hole in the downtown location. But after speaking the Liberty CDC officials, and Town Officials – that is simply not the case.
Skate Park companies have already submitted rough plans to the Liberty CDC for the park at Walnut Mountain. Here is one of those plans:
So what are your thoughts on the park? Reply on our facebook page or in the comments area below. We’ll keep updating this story as more information becomes available this week. Take the Poll!
Loading ...Controversial camp gets another permit; planning board approves indoor basketball courts
The Town of Liberty Planning Board has granted a Special Use Permit to Camp Agudah on Upper Ferndale Road, to allow the camp to build a 100 by 200 foot building to house two indoor basketball courts.
Agudah, which has received more than 20 building permits over the past decade, is a nonconforming use in a residential neighborhood. The application for the permit initially called the project an “accessory use for a nonconforming use,” meaning that the indoor basketball courts are a use which typically goes with a summer camp.
At the public hearing on February 7, however, this reporter, who has been a vocal critic of the ongoing expansion of the camp over the past decade, cited a decision issued by an appellate court that said a use can’t be considered an accessory use unless it is “truly incidental” to the main use, meaning that indoor basketball courts almost always go with summer camps, or that summer camps cannot be operated without them. This reporter also pointed out that an “accessory use to a nonconforming use” is not among the uses listed as permissible in the “hierarchy of intent.”
A bit later in the meeting, the planning board attorney, Walter Garigliano, said the building was not, in fact, an accessory use but rather “part of the camp itself.”
Those opposed to the project maintain it is not reasonable to consider it part of the camp itself, because the camp has existed for decades without indoor basketball courts.
Therefore, the project should be considered to be simply indoor basketball courts, which is a prohibited use in a residential neighborhood in the Town of Liberty.
Ultimately, the planning board unanimously decided that the building was part of the camp.
This reporter also sited a Court of Appeals case that said the “highest public policy of zoning in New York State is the reasonable restriction and eventual elimination of nonconforming uses.”
The camp’s attorney, Gary Silver, said the decision was “theory” and does not apply to the Town of Liberty, which has a “liberal” zoning code regarding nonconforming uses. Many towns in the state, including the neighboring Town of Thompson, have zoning codes that prohibit nonconforming uses from expanding or constructing new buildings.
This story was reprinted with permission from the The River Reporter
Liberty Parks and Rec Announces Spring Programs
The Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Department will be offering the following Spring Programs. A Youth Baseball/Softball Clinic for children in grades 1st – 6th on Wednesday evenings; Free Open Wrestling for children in grades 6th – 11th on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Teen Night on Friday evenings for Liberty youth ages 13-17.
Adult programs are as follows: Co-ed Volleyball on Thursday evenings and an Indoor Walking program at the Liberty High School on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Special Events the department will be sponsoring are: The Annual Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 1 – 8 on March 31st and a MLB Pitch hit and run competition for youth ages 7 – 14 on April 28th.
Please contact the office at 292-7690 for further information on the programs or visit our website at www.townofliberty.org.
JAZZ FESTIVAL TO FEATURE LOCAL BANDS AND PROMINENT JAZZ ARTIST & EDUCATOR
The Liberty Central School Department of Music will host the 16th Annual LIBERTY JAZZ FESTIVAL, to be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 7:00 PM in the Middle School gymnasium. The festival will feature High School and Middle School jazz ensembles from Liberty and Monticello. The students will also have the opportunity to participate in an afternoon clinic (beginning at 3 PM) with a renowned jazz artist and educator “in a non-competitive, constructive format,” according to festival co- chairman and Director of Music Gary Siegel.
This year’s clinician is Michael Pacer. Mr. Pacer is a professional Saxophone and woodwind specialist and recently retired as a music educator in the Port Jervis City School District. Early in his career he taught at Liberty High School. As a performer he has performed with The Temptations, Broadway Legend Richard Kiley, The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra and the Grammy Award Winning Jimmy Sturr Band. He currently performs with his “Orchestra of One”. The clinic will take place from 3 PM – 5:30 PM and the Concert will begin at 7 PM with both taking place in the Liberty MS Gym. Suggested donation for the concert is $3 with a maximum $10/family of 4 or more.
Donations will benefit the music scholarship fund and the WSUL/WVOS Heart-A-Thon. Tickets will be on sale at the door.
For more information contact Gary Siegel at 292-5400 x5117 or email at gsiegel@libertyk12.org.
Liberty to hold community budget forum on February 2nd
The Liberty Central School District in coordination with Sullivan County BOCES is holding a community budget forum to discuss the 2012-2013 school budget. The forum will be held on Thursday, February 2nd, 7-9 p.m. at Liberty High School and will give Liberty residents and opportunity to discuss their thoughts, ideas and concerns about the budget.
“During these difficult past budget seasons, we have needed to make significant reductions across the board,” said Liberty Superintendent Michael B. Vanyo. “This year also presents the additional challenge of staying within a 2% tax levy cap as well. We want to make sure that we are in touch with our community and want the public to have a voice in the budget formation process.”
The forum will begin with an introduction by Sullivan County BOCES Superintendent Larry Thomas, who will also moderate the event. Participants will be divided into smaller groups, guided by a Sullivan BOCES facilitator, to discuss key budget concerns including ways to save money, educational programs, and the top priorities of the community. Participants will then have the opportunity to discuss each group’s results.
If you would like to participate, please R.S.V.P. by Tuesday, January 30 to District Clerk Tania DeFrank, at 845-292-6990 or tdefrank@libertyk12.org. R.S.V.Ps are strongly encouraged, but not required. For questions, please contact Communications Specialist Allison Ruef, 845-292-5400, ext. 2055 or aruef@libertyk12.org.
Liberty Troopers rescue BOCES student from a partially ice covered pond
On January 24, 2012, State Police in Liberty assisted the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department with an 18 year old BOCES student who left the campus and ran off into a wooded area. The male subject attempted to swim across a partially frozen pond and became stuck in chest deep water halfway across the pond. Trooper Stephen Johnstone threw a resue rope to the student, who refused to grab the rope. When the student became lethargic, Trooper Johnstone and a volunteer fireman entered the water and retrieved the student before he became totally submerged under the water. He was transported by Mobil Medic Ambulance to Catskill Regional Hospital for hypothermia treatment and a Mental Health evaluation.
Proposed Recycling Center on Exit 99 Drawing Fire
The proposed car recycling center on Exit 99 is drawing fire from critics calling it a ‘dump’ and asking town politicians to stick with the comprehensive plan.
The recycling center will be located next to the blacktop plant off of exit 99. The facility would be used to process crushed cars, most of the materials will only stay on site temporarily according to reports.
Critics are citing that the proposed facility would be an eye sore, the land is zoned residential, and would impact your property value. While others say it would bring much needed jobs to the Village and would be in an area where there’s natural noise suppression. The facility would be located on approximately 11 acres.
We’ll be following this story closely, information is very thin right now and we’ll pass more along as it becomes available. But if you’d like to have your say on this project – there is a public hearing tonight at the Liberty Town Hall at 6:45pm.
