The Jericho Board of Education presented a final review of its proposed 1998-99 school budget on Thursday, March 11, at a special meeting during which Jericho Educational Foundation Director Robert Manheimer, by letter, urged the board to drop his salary, and all funding pertaining to the foundation, from the budget.

The JEF, an organization created two years ago to raise money for projects the district's budget could not cover, had been budgeted to receive $4,000 in direct funding next school year, as well as additional indirect funding. Manheimer was to receive a salary of $11,000, for his position as director of the foundation.

Though these monetary figures were relatively minimal in size as a budget item, several vocal residents objected to the foundation's placement in the budget. In light of the controversy and criticism, which had been building for several school board meetings, Manheimer authored the surprising letter, and the JEF executive board voted to back up Manheimer's request.

Asked at the meeting whether the school board would agree to the letter's terms, Superintendent Henry Grishman replied, by all indications, it would. "Any service or benefit that we provide it will cease," he said.

According to Assistant to the Superintendent for Business Affairs Martin Billig, the funds that had been budgeted for JEF will not likely be allocated elsewhere, and will simply be dropped fom the budget.

Much of the money budgeted to JEF would have provided the program with supplies as well as payment for a variety of fees that organizations must pay to have not-for-profit status.

Some people were displeased with the budgeting of JEF because they claimed that the school board had originally suggested that the foundation would be budgeted only for its first two years, to help it get started, and no longer.

However, Joe Lorintz, vice president of JEF, said in an interview that that was never promised.

"What was said was that at its two-year anniversary [Sept. 1997] it would be reevaluated," he stated. "The school board [in its reevaluation] didn't come to a conclusion. By virtue of that, it remained on the budget." Lorintz could not deny, however, another recent criticism by those opposing JEF in the budget ¬ that the foundation has been unsuccessful in meeting its goals, and has raised less money than what had been budgeted for it. One of JEF's very first goals was to raise money to improve the school track. That task has still not been accomplished.

"There's no doubt about it. There are a lot of questions as to why it has been difficult to raise funds," said Lorintz.

Lorintz blamed some of JEF's shortcomings on a lack of volunteerism and support from outside the foundation. With JEF's dispute seemingly settled, he hopes now that more people "will start to support the foundation by their actions."

Sources also indicate that there was a personal side to the JEF conflict, but no one was willing to specify details.

Manheimer will remain as director of JEF, but will not get paid for his efforts.

JEF President Frank Sammartano deferred to Lorintz's statements, but did say the JEF would function fine without funding. Manheimer did not return the Tribune's phone call.

Manheimer's request, and the controversy leading up to it, was the only land mine in what was otherwise a smooth review process. Grishman guided the crowd through the budget, noting any significant changes from the previous year.

Amassed, the expenditures listed in the 1998-99 budget come to a total of $48,184,365, an increase of over $3 million from the '97-'98 budget. Based on 1997-'98 school year's figures, the district estimates that $5,441,335 of these expenditures will be covered by State Aid and other grants. Going by these figures, an actual $42,743,030 will be raised through taxes ¬ again, about $3 million more than last year. If the budget is approved, the average tax rate would be $42.445/$100, compared to $39.514/$100 from the last budget.

Billig, in an interview, indicated that the 1998-99 budget differs most from past budgets in areas where "additional funds are being provided for the updating of curriculum." In addition, the budget can also be characterized as one that will prepare the district for the burgeoning enrollment of students.

Reacting to toughening Regents standards, the board of education decided to make sweeping changes in textbooks, literature and reference books. The cost of textbooks will jump from $182,320 in 1997-'98 to $282,560 in 1998-'99. Whereas this is an $80,000 difference, there was only a $20,000 difference between 1997-'98 and 1996-97. Library books will cost double what they did a year ago, at a cost of $71,100. In 1996-'97, $36,172 were allocated toward library books, and slightly less was budgeted for 1997-'98.

Assistant to the Superintendent in Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Anna Hunderfund explained at the meeting that, in anticipation of new state standards, the Jericho district had delayed ordering new textbooks for a couple of years, until it became clear just what books were needed.

The cost of teaching materials and supplies has also increased, reaching a cost of $755,330, from $582,955 in 1997-'98 and $520,333 in 1996-'97.

Due to a booming school population, the district has budgeted in the salaries of 4.4 more elementary school teachers and 3.6 more middle and high school teachers. While the cost of the elementary teachers' salaries total almost $1 million more than last year, the cost of secondary school teachers actually went down $55,000.

Though district officials are in the midst of comtemplating renovation and construction to accommodate its expanding student body, no work relating to such a project is included in the budget, and so will probably not take place for another year.

Figures remain subject to change. Additional changes will be indicated at the next school board meeting, on Thursday, March 26, when Grishman is expected to approve the budget. The vote on the budget will take place on Tuesday, May 19.