Island Dispatch, 2004-10-29

              Island  DISPATCH Phone: (716) 773-7676 « Fax: (716) 773-71% « K-Mail: NFPNyns^clmalUtim 60 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District V01.60 • No. 33 October 29. 2004 $1.00 24 Pages Halloween Safety Tips Page 13 www.wnypapers.com See Us On The Web The Farmer's Almanac predicts: Rain Turning Colder Lady Vikings Clinch Title Page 14 — Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage School district to face increased costs for teacher retirements, health insurance by Larry Austin The annual auditor's report to the Grand Island Board of Education highlighted several areas of improvement to the school district's financial picture. John P. Schiavone, certified public accountant with the firm of Lumsden and McCormick, briefed the board on the firm's findings after an external audit fiscal year 2003-04. During the report, Schiavone noted future costs to the district in funding teacher retirement and health benefits. Schiavone told the board at Monday's meeting in Charlotte Sidway Elementary that in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, the school district contributed $60,000 to the teachers' retirement system. For fiscal year 2004, the contribution jumped to $421,000. Next year, Schiavone projects the district will pay approximately $941,000. Schiavone said' the New York state retirement systems are mandates not within the control of the district. He suggested a contractual obligation, that of the district's paymentpayment to teachers who cash out unused sick days upon retirement, should be reviewed "to help manage costs a little bit better." Taking into consideration the anticipated 1 long-term liability of such a bene- 1 fit, the district is in the red, 1 Schiavone said. j Retirements To Occur J Over Time. I Asked if taxpayers should be 1 worried about the district's liability j in paying for the unused sick days I of retiring teachers, Schiavone 1 Huth Road students catch Halloween spirit Students in Tanya Gallagher's fifth-grade class at Huth Road Elementary School show their Halloween spirit by displaying decorated pumpkins. As part of the class project, the students decorated the orangecolored fruits like their favorite character from a book they recently read- Characters included Ron from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkahan," Sirius the Dog from "Star in the Storm" and Puss 'N' Boots from "Shrek 2 - The Movie Book." Happy Halloween to all. Grand Island's Hall-Gardner Ronald Reagan Republican Gold Medal Award winner House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-NY), and the NRCC recently announced that Grand Island resident Sue Ann Hall- Gardner has been chosen as a 2004 Ronald Reagan Republican Gold Medal Award winner. The prestigious award will be handed out to 12 winners from various parts of the country. "I've always been proud to be an American," Hall-Gardner said. "I realize you don't have to be sitting at the top to receive an award like this." Criteria Hall-Gardner was selected based on what the NRCC describes as "unyielding support of the Republican Party, outstanding leadership in business and for displaying a commitment to President Ronald Reagan's vision for an entrepreneurial America." Additionally, her support of President George W. Bush is appreciated."(Hall-Gardner was chosen for her) unyielding support of President Bush's tax cuts that have the economy growing at record paces ... contributing to the economic health of her community," the NRCC Web site reads, with regards to the award. Hall-Gardner is currently the head of public relations for Argo Statics Inc., of Grand Island. Prior to this position, she served as secretary to Tonawanda City Attorney Roland G. Baxter; North Tonawanda Mayor Fred B. Durkee; the Hon. Delwin G. Hervey, a judge in Tonawanda; the Hon. John B. Daley; North Tonawanda City Treasurer Gladys Schaef; and North Tonawanda City Assessor Charles Guzzetta. She has also worked for the state Division of Employment; she was a financial secretary for the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, and she worked in real estate. Deserving Candidate Only an elite group of business and professional people were nominated to receive the Ronald Sue Ann Hall-Gardner continued on page 2 es» J continued on page 23 ISP iff*!! /;-P:?':/ JfeacAr Owe?§0,000 Homes (Over 90,000Ueadess} X Ms% /• Itf Semes Oiredoiy in 4 local papers and me'we a..,.' dstssifkd each § every week, \®ffl a 1 pa/ signed eontoaeH At a Glance Saturday Daylight Savings Time Ends Set clocks back one hour before bed. Saturday Halloween Party at the VFW Post 2121 Grand Island Blvd. 7 to 11 p.m. Sunday Halloween Trick-or-treat hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday Election Day Get out and vote! For a complete listing of area events, visit NFP's Web site at j •www.wnypapers.com mmm m lIIIIP ■■wwi» IP Celebrating Hometown Life Afig \