Scarsdale Forum to Discuss Schools, Village Budget and Development at November Meeting

The Scarsdale Forum Inc. invites the public to its meeting on Thursday, November 17 in the Scott Room of the Scarsdale Library at 8 p.m. A reception honoring the volunteers of Friends of Music and the Arts in the Scarsdale Schools, the Scarsdale Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol and the Scarsdale Teen Center begins at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Following the business portion of the membership meeting, Jill Spieler, President of the Scarsdale School Board will present “The State of the Schools.”

The Education Program Committee will host a panel discussing “Professional Development and the Scarsdale Teachers Institute.” Panelists include Dr. Michael V. McGill, Superintendent of Schools; Trudy Moses, Greenacres music teacher and President of the Scarsdale Teachers Association; Lynne Shain, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction; Susan Taylor, Director of the Scarsdale Teachers Institute and Dr. Joan Weber, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Administration.

Also under consideration at the Forum meeting will be two reports – one on decisions impacting the 2012-13 Village Budget and the other on the Construction Approval Process in Scarsdale Village.

To meet the Village budget challenges ahead, the Fiscal Affairs Committee recommends:

• A 5.52% budget increase – thereby overriding the state imposed tax cap
• Reducing or minimizing salary increases by leaving positions vacant and negotiating contracts with minimal or no increases
• Exploring reduced trash pick up and the elimination of leaf pick up and consolidated purchasing
• Increasing fees for parking and day camp, and charging non-property tax entities like religious institutions for trash pick-up.
• Funding road repairs, sewer system upgrades and food control measures that have been deferred
• Using the undesignated fund balance for emergency needs
• Educating Village residents and getting input through community forums

These measures as well as a report on the approval process for development projects will be discussed at the November 17 meeting.

The Scarsdale Forum is a 107 year old civic organization dedicated to improving life in Scarsdale. The Forum studies issues before the Village, School and Westchester County Boards and provides input and recommendations via public reports and other public statements.

For program and membership information, visit www.ScarsdaleForum.com, e-mail: office@scarsdaleforum.com or call 914-723-2829.