Huntington
BUDGET
SPENDING $133,488,443, a 2.83 percent increase from the current $129,812,991.
TAX LEVY 2.58 percent increase, from $107,625,213 to $110,400,611. This is equal to the district’s 2.58 percent tax-cap limit, so a simple majority vote is required for approval.
TEACHER PAY / PROGRAMS Includes a 1.0 percent contract increase and 0.84 percent step increase for teachers. The proposed budget would include adding two elementary librarians, 1.5 full-time-equivalent teaching positions in English as a New Language and a 0.5 FTE elementary school guidance counselor position. Three teacher assistant positions will be cut. No new programs are planned.
PROPOSITIONS
Proposition 2 asks for permission to spend up to $3,846,000 from several different building improvement funds for a variety of repairs: replacing student corridor lockers at Finley Middle School and three projects at Huntington High School, including replacing three boilers, a partial roof replacement and replacing the turf field, perimeter netting and goalposts. Approval of the proposition will not affect the tax levy.
WHEN | WHERE
6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Huntington High School. www.hufsd.edu
CANDIDATES
Michele Kustera, Joseph Mattio and incumbent William P. Dwyer are seeking two open, at-large seats with terms of three years.
Michele Kustera
BACKGROUND Kustera, 53, is a former technology project director. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing at St. John’s University and has been involved in PTA, where she currently is PTA council president. She was a member of the district’s food allergy committee from 2013-2015. She has two children in Huntington schools.
KEY ISSUE “I believe the most important issue is ensuring all students are receiving the support and opportunities to be successful. The first thing is a secure environment. I would advocate for and make sure all our students are in safe schools.”
Joseph Mattio
BACKGROUND Mattio, 47, works in medical sales. His wife is a teacher at Harborfields High School. He earned his bachelor’s in marketing and finance at the University of Notre Dame. Mattio is a board member of the Huntington Booster Club and has coached with Huntington Village lacrosse, St. Hugh’s basketball and Huntington Sports League football. He has two children attending district schools.
KEY ISSUE “As a board member I’d make it a priority to recruit people into the process so that they can play a role in spreading factual information about our district,” he said, and work to improve communication. Noting the support and fundraising efforts of several parent organizations, he said: “As a school board member I would harness that same energy and enthusiasm to improve every aspect of student life at Huntington.”
William P. Dwyer
BACKGROUND Dwyer, 54, is a software manager. His wife teaches at Madonna Heights School in Wheatley Heights. He earned a bachelor’s in mathematics at Providence College, a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s in aeronautics and astronautics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Huntington Militia. He has three children who have attended Huntington schools. Dwyer is seeking his second consecutive term on the board and previously served 2011-2014.
KEY ISSUE Dwyer says he will focus on continuing to expand academic programs under the constraints of a permanent 2 percent tax cap and work to provide more computer programming classes. “I will continue to advocate for a strong, healthy relationship between the administration, board of education and teachers.”
