The Manhasset Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to spend up to $107,000 from the district’s Repair Reserve Fund to address critical heating and gas infrastructure failures at Manhasset Secondary School and Shelter Rock Elementary School.

The board said the repairs are needed to address damaged and defective gas piping at Manhasset Secondary School, gas safety valve failures, pipe bursts, and residual freeze damage at Shelter Rock

The district determined this was an emergency and authorized it to proceed without competitive bidding under the emergency provisions of General Municipal Law. The board must also restore at least 50% of the project costs to the Repair Reserve Fund during the next fiscal year, with the full amount replenished by the end of the second fiscal year.

During the meeting, Superintendent Christopher Pelletieri also noted that Manhasset school district has the second-lowest fund balance as a percentage of actual expenditures in the county at 11%, with a fund balance of $12 million. The fund balance is the amount of money a district has after expenses and serves as a financial cushion.

“We’re running a tight ship here,” Pelletieri said. “When you have things that come up — and things always come up — it’s really difficult to be flexible to react to those things.”

Board President Ted Post agreed with Pelletieri’s concern, saying it should be a priority to build up the district’s reserves.

Manhasset parent Dan Xie raised concerns about spending during the public comments section.

Xie asked the board why Manhasset has $5.5 million in state aid while, “Jericho, with a nearly identical enrollment, has received between $10 million and $12 million over the same time period.”

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Gerard Antoine said he would look into the reasons, but that the state calculates each district’s need.

Xie also said he was worried about the district’s lower spending per pupil — $36,089 — compared to neighboring districts, such as Great Neck, which spends over $40,000 per pupil.

Source: LI Press