Klidonas back on N-W school board

by Janet Schultz
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, January 29, 2009

Demosthenes "Denny" Klidonas was appointed unanimously last week by the Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education to finish the term of Donald Moyer Jr., who died in a car accident in December.

Klidonas completed a three-year term on the board in July and choose not to run again in order to spend more time with his family.

"When the board asked me to fill Don's term, my wife and I talked it over and under the circumstances, felt it was something I had to do," said Klidonas. "I graciously accepted but wished it was under other circumstances."

"Denny was the logical choice," said Board President Michele Hoerner. "He was on the board when we selected the superintendent, and there won't be a lot of time preparing him because he just finished a term."

Klidonas, a resident of the Town of Niagara, has three children attending school in the district. Payton, 13, is a student at Edward Town Middle School; Madison, 10, and Kierston, 8, attend Colonial Village Elementary School. He and his wife also have a 4-year-old son, Dylon.

Klidonas is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and is the assistant director of Opportunities Unlimited, a position he has held for the past 11 years. His background is in early childhood education and human services.

He and his wife also own and operate First Step Child Care Center in the Town of Niagara, a business they have owned for 14 years.

"When this term is up, I'll then decide if I want to run again," said Klidonas, when asked about this future plans.

Klidonas' term expires June 31, 2009.

In other matters:

District Clerk Kerin Dumphrey presented the board with an overview of the state of the school's fund balance.

A fund balance is the money that is left over from certain other funding areas and can be used to avoid excessive short-term borrowing, accumulate sufficient assets to make designated purchases or cover unforeseen expenditures.

"A good fund balance demonstrates financial stability and enhances a school's bond rating thus lowering debt costs," explained Dumphrey.

N-W's current unappropriated fund balance is $4,286,0l9. With the governor's proposed 7.9 per cent cut in state aid and with no tax increase, N-W would need $6.9 million from this year's surplus, leaving the school district with more than a $2 million shortfall.

In addition, the district will see losses in income from decreased tax revenue resulting from Industrial Development Agency agreements, loss of the hazardous waste tax if future operations at the CWM dump site are stopped, lower interest earnings, loss of rental income from the West Street wing when the tenant moves out, reduced tuitions from other school districts, and a reduced amount received from BOCES and employee insurance deposits that will no longer be allowed to show as revenue which they earn interest from.

"We are making cuts wherever we can to maintain the current level of services and not severely impact our children," Dumphrey explained. "But we will have to use the fund balance to absorb the shock of a state aid cut."

The board's goals for next year are to keep taxes low, reduce spending and keep those programs that are good for kids vital and healthy through a managed use of the fund balance.

"I urge the board to consider the kids first and the taxpayer second," said Daniel Maerten, who was the only person giving a public comment at the meeting.

"These are tough times but the taxpayers are going to get hit from all sides if the ideas the governor has goes through."

The board also accepted the resignation of Claire Simpson, physical education and health teacher at Edward Town and Randall McLellan, cleaner; appointed Tara Lynch and Aubrey Brodfueher to teaching positions and Wade Gordon, cleaner; appointed Marlene Stevens and Nicole Call to per diem substitute teaching positions; granted Rachel Lobaugh a leave of absence from November 2008 to March 27, 2009.

The board held an executive session to discuss contract negotiations with no action taken.