Snow Emergency Declared

Monday - Midday Update
Here is the latest on our snow storm from Megan Russ in the SmithtownRadio.com Weather Center...

>Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy has declared a snow emergency for Suffolk County. He says this will help recieve federal and state emergency fudning if need be down the road
>A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 6 pm et
>A foot of snow accumulation thus far outside SmithtownRadio.com studios
>LIPA: No major outages
>LIRR: The LIRR is experiencing delays of 10-15 minutes due to weather-related conditions.

...ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL EXPECTED TODAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6
PM EST THIS EVENING.

BANDS OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY SNOW WILL MOVE BACK INTO
THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA AND THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY
THIS MORNING. AFTER A BRIEF LULL...THIS SNOW WILL ALSO RETURN TO
EASTERN LONG ISLAND AND SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT BY LATE MORNING.

ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED TODAY. THIS WILL
BRING TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 6 TO 12 INCHES IN ORANGE AND
WESTERN PASSAIC COUNTIES...8 TO 12 INCHES IN THE NEW YORK CITY
METROPOLITAN AREA...9 TO 13 INCHES IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...AND 10
TO 15 INCHES ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN LONG ISLAND.

NORTH WINDS SUSTAINED AT 15 TO 25 MPH AND GUSTING TO 30 TO 40 MPH
WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH VISIBILITIES OF LESS
THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS
OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT OUR WEB
SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/NYC FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND UPDATES.

$$

Winter Storm Warning: Overnight Update

Here is the latest from Megan Russ in the SmithtownRadio.com Weather Center:

>No school Monday

>Winter Storm Warning in effect until Mon 6 pm et

>10+ inches of snow expected for most of island

...MAJOR SNOWSTORM TO IMPACT TRI-STATE AREA OVERNIGHT AND MONDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE MOVING OFF THE CAROLINA COAST WILL TRACK
NORTHEAST...PASSING TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF LONG ISLAND MONDAY
MORNING. THE LOW WILL THEN PROCEED UP INTO THE GULF OF MAINE BY
MONDAY EVENING. STRONG CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH WILL
PROVIDE THE COLD AIR FOR A MAINLY SNOW EVENT...WITH SOME SLEET
MIXING IN LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING OVER FAR SOUTHEASTERN
CONNECTICUT AND THE TWIN FORKS OF LONG ISLAND.

CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-021030-
/O.CON.KOKX.WS.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090302T2300Z/
NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX-
NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-
SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-WESTERN PASSAIC-BERGEN-
EASTERN PASSAIC-ESSEX-HUDSON-UNION-ORANGE-PUTNAM-ROCKLAND-
NORTHERN WESTCHESTER-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-
BRONX-RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-QUEENS-NASSAU-
NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-
SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
909 PM EST SUN MAR 1 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST MONDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST MONDAY.

A STEADY SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND
INTO MONDAY MORNING. THERE MAY BE ENOUGH WARM AIR ALOFT FOR SLEET
TO MIX IN ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT AND THE TWIN FORKS OF
LONG ISLAND AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM...BUT FOR THE MOST PART
THIS WILL BE AN ALL SNOW EVENT. THE SNOW WILL THEN TAPER OFF
MONDAY AFTERNOON.

TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER
ORANGE AND WESTERN PASSAIC COUNTIES...TO 10 TO 14 INCHES ACROSS
CENTRAL LONG ISLAND AND SOUTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT. SOMEWHAT LOWER
AMOUNTS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE TWIN FORKS OF EASTERN LONG ISLAND
AND SOUTHEAST CONNECTICUT DUE TO THE SNOW POSSIBLY MIXING WITH
SLEET. FOR THE NEW YORK CITY METRO AREA...8 TO 12 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED.

SUSTAINED NORTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO
OCCASIONALLY 35 MPH WILL RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH
VISIBILITIES OF LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT OUR WEB
SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/NYC FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND UPDATES.

$$

Superintendent Calls For Sacrifices To Preserve Educational Program

(Smithtown Central School District) -
Business Affairs Meeting - February 2, 2009 Report
Mr. Joseph Saggese, co-chair of Business Affairs, called the meeting to order and introduced Edward Ehmann, Superintendent of Schools, to discuss the introduction of the Superintendent’s Budget for 2009-2010. Also present were Business Affairs Co-chair Neil Carlin, President Carl Gianino, Vice President Bob Rossi, and trustees Gladys Waldron, Terri Knox, and Lou Liguori. In addition to Mr. Ehmann, representing central administration were Mary Cahill, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction & Administration, Joan Niles, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations, and Karen Ricigliano, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel Services.

Mr. Ehmann began by saying that he was going to share some very unsettling news about what it would take to maintain this year’s program into next year. He said that the combination of reduced state aid, lower Town assessments, unfunded mandates, and contracted increases, created a gap between revenue and expenditures which will require Draconian measures to close. Mr. Ehmann added that for the District to remedy the $12,650,787 gap between revenue and expenditures, it will take a combination of expenditure reductions and increased revenue. As he took the audience through a Power Point presentation, he demonstrated how difficult it would be to build the 2009-2010 budget even with modest reductions in programs and personnel.

“It is very depressing to come to this meeting and share bad news,” Mr. Ehmann said. “Everyone in the community needs to understand the magnitude of the problem.” He said that the number one priority is to preserve our educational program, which he called the “jewel of the community.” He warned that our current educational program is in jeopardy and said that everyone needs to contribute to the solution. He said that unlike previous years, the CABDAC committee will not be coming to the board requesting additions to the program.

Mr. Ehmann also announced that the 15 non-aligned central office administrators and supervisors who are not in a bargaining unit had agreed not to accept raises from the Board of Education even if they were offered for 2009-2010. He added that he has begun conversations with the bargaining units and has emphasized to them that to close a gap of this magnitude requires great sacrifices from all members of our community. He indicated that it would appear that only a freeze in all salaries would avoid a massive layoff. Mr. Ehmann is hopeful that the various bargaining units will approach him with suggestions as to how they can help. Mr. Liguori calculated that as many as 80 positions might have to be excessed to fill the gap. “Both taxpayers and employees need to close the gap,” Mr. Ehmann said.

Mr. Saggese requested an actual proposal from the Superintendent at the February 26th meeting on how to fill the gap. He added that the three weeks would give Mr. Ehmann the chance to go to the various parties and ask for sacrifices.

Mr. Carlin advised Mr. Ehmann that he should run two concurrent budget proposals. “We can’t wait to see what we’re getting.” He also raised the question of overlap between District employees and residents. He asked how many employees live in the community. He requested a breakdown of Smithtown residents among the individual units. Mrs. Ricigliano said that we are running that report now. The last time it was run, she believes that the number was about one-third of the employees. Current numbers will be available shortly.

Mrs. Cahill invited persons who desire additional information to call her or one of the other administrators and to meet with her in an ad hoc citizens’ advisory committee on Monday, February 9. Mr. Ehmann announced that citizens could also e-mail their questions and concerns to budget@smithtown.k12.ny.us.

The remainder of the Business Affairs meetings will take place at 7 p.m. in the NYA Auditorium.
· Thursday, February 26
· Thursday, March 5
· Wednesday, March 18
· Tuesday, April 14

Citizens’ Advisory Meetings will take place at 7 p.m. at NYA in room 222A.
· Monday, February 9
· Monday, March 2
· Wednesday, March 11