By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer

The Cooperstown Board of Education held its first public forum on the 2010-11 school year budget on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

The object of the meeting was to have community members share their concerns and express their priorities as to where their tax dollars are being spent. Instead of giving a presentation, board members opened the meeting up to the public to share their thoughts and ideas.

Board member David Borgstrom said the goal was to hear what people are willing to give up that would make a significant impact in the budget.

``As a board member I want to hear what people are willing to give up or what they are willing to trade off,’’ he said during the forum. ``We all want everything for our kids. We want all of our kids to have small classes, for our kids to have all these enrichment programs, we want everything for every kid that is here.

The fact of the matter is that we try to balance giving all that we can by being fiscally responsible.

And significant cuts in the budget will require significant sacrifices. And I think one of the reasons we are here is to hear people say what they are willing to support to make significant changes.’’

In April, the board of education adopted its current budget, with total spending of more than $16.5 million — an almost 2 percent decrease compared to the 2008-09 budget.

According to a handout passed out to those attending the forum, budget expenditures are divided into three categories— capital, administrative and program components. The program component makes up the majority of the budget expenditures at 73 percent while the capital component makes up 17 percent and the administrative component makes up 10 percent.

Community member Catherine Ellsworth said the only way to make a major dent in the budget is to cut personnel and have larger class sizes.

``There is no other way to look at it,’’ she said.

Ellsworth said there are not 20 students in any elementary class this year.

``Those of us who sent our children through this elementary school with 26 to 28 kids in a class don’t understand the desire and need to have 15, ‘’ she said.

``The kids were no smaller then, they fit in the classrooms just fine when there was 26 to 28 in a class.’’

Ellsworth said she is incredulous that people don’t feel there could be 20 students in a class. She said she thinks each class could fit anywhere from 20 to 25 students.

According to Superintendent Mary Joe McPhail, the district has looked into the effectiveness of small class sizes. In order to have significant academic achievement, research shows class sizes need to have less than 15 students, said McPhail.

Board president Anthony Scalici said parents of elementary students have been able to enjoy the luxuries of having their children in small classes because there was a period of time where a number of things such as health insurance costs, salaries and mandates were necessary for academic success, where others feel it is not vital to keep class sizes quite so small.

`` We try to balance interests,’’ said Scalici. ``When we look at it from a perspective of education if we can we will keep classes smaller. And when it gets to the point where something needs to go that’s an area that has to be looked at again as well as how many accelerated classes or how many extra classes we are providing.’’

Since the 2002-03 school year, an equivalent of 16 faculty and staff eliminations has taken place, while about four have been created, according to a handout from the board of education.

One position eliminated was a principal of special programs that the district had several years ago, according to McPhail. That position had been created for former middle school principal David Pearlman when he returned to work following a leave of absence.

The position was dropped when Pearlman left the district. Student enrollment in 2002-03 was at 1,198 and this year enrollment is at 988 students.

Community member Ed Johnson said he believes too much funding is going towards the athletic department. He said he believes the approximately 2.5 percent of funding shown in the budget for athletics is misleading and would like to see the expenses subdivided in the budget newsletter.

``In these decreased employments, and decreased activities of personnel and other things that you are working with I see absolutely no decrease in athletic programs,’’ he said.

``I only see increases in the number of athletic programs, increases in the aid set aside for these programs and there is no mention at all about giving any thought pattern of athletics.’’

Johnson said he does not believe athletics is the main function of the school system. He said, ``The main function is teaching and I want to see more information on this.’’

Scalici said every year there is discussion about athletics. He said there are high participation rates in athletics and he doesn’t know of any sports program that is not valued.

``Athletics is not just going out and playing a sport,’’ said Scalici. ``Being a part of a team goes far beyond hitting a ball or running around a track.’’

However, Scalici said if there is a given time where a particular sport cannot be fielded, it will be eliminated. Johnson said he agreed that athletics can be of good value to students.

However, he said he thinks the district could have wonderful team players and interactivity of sports within the population of the school without being a ``district number one of this or that.’’

Johnson said he did not think enough publicity has been given to academics and visitors of the village should not see signs demonstrating athletic success, but should see evidence of academic success.

`` For the population of this school, in my opinion, the athletic program is quite a bit out of control,’’ said Johnson.

``The school system, and we are only a small clog of it, in this country is going down hill,’’ added Johnson. Student Sarah Polus said she is a straight A student and is a very active athlete at CCS. She said she would hate to see athletics cut not only because she enjoys the opportunity to be a part of a team but because playing a sport can help when trying to get into a college.

``I think you should take into consideration the positives, not so much on the negatives,’’ said Polus. Ellsworth said she hates to see winners and losers. She said she would like to see the district take away from everyone in order to reach budget goals.

``I would like to see a little bit of give all the way around so we don’t have winners and losers,’’ she said.

Community member Rick Hulse Sr. said he has been warning board members about major changes and trends for years. It is too late to go back and change things, but the board needs to be proactive not reactive, said Hulse.

``The Upstate New York Region in many cases is a natural disaster area,’’ said Hulse. ``Yet here we sit with a budget that was 10 million 10 years ago and 16.5 now.’’

Hulse said not only does the district have to contend with cuts, but the state is asking for another 3 percent in employment retirement costs.

``I will go on the record by saying the state will mandate mergers. The state will close small districts,’’ said Hulse.

Hulse said he does not believe the district prepared for the future.

He said, ``the bottom line is I think we need to be realistic about where we are and I don’t think the board has been. Now you are not only behind just one eight-ball you are behind three.’’

Hulse said CCS has to look for a new superintendent and negotiate a service union contract and a teacher/staff contract.

``I am worried,’’ said Hulse. ``Do you blame me for being worried?’’