Writing about the Dryden schools' budget work this morning reminded me that I hadn't yet covered the Dryden Courier's March 22nd issue. It has an article on last week's discussion, which started by looking for a 7.5% spending increase budget. (The board's more recent work brings that to 6.85%, but that leaves the 12.87% tax levy increase.) Superintendent Mark Crawford hopes that they'll be able to reach smaller staffing levels through attrition, and they've already cut lots of equipment. A following article notes that the board will put a bus purchase resolution up for a separate vote, and that it's creating a simpler middle school Spanish class to help students focus on what they need for graduation requirements.
There's an article on the front page about Village of Dryden Mayor Reba Taylor's planning no-tax-rate-increase budget, but the budget hadn't yet appeared, and there's no news on whether spending or the tax levy will climb. Taylor seems to be counting on annexing property into the village, which seems likely to take a long time. An audit showed that the Village thinks it has $5000 more in the bank than it really has, and the auditor stressed the importance of keeping department heads to their budgets.
Jeff Lydon, new director of the Tompkins County SPCA, gets a profile, and emphasizes that the shelter will maintain its no-kill policy.
Alia Shimer sorts recyclables in a photo taken at Cassavant Elementary during Family Reading Night activities, and Freeville Elementary students talk about their favorite characters inside the front page.
On the editorial page, Kathy Zahler writes to point out the Courier's total lack of Village of Dryden election coverage, and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert writes a long goodbye to his district.
In Briefs, First National Bank of Dryden earned a 5-star rating from BauerFinancial for financial strength and stability for the 68th consecutive month. Klein's archery will celebrate its 16th anniversay with free use of their indoor range and video archery on April 8th from 9:00am to 5:30pm, and will have a chicken barbecue as well at noon. Dryden High School softball will be fundraising to pay for dugouts for the varsity field with a raffle, and the Lacrosse fundraisers gave the school district a check for $4749 to cover the costs of JV Lacrosse at Dryden.
The sports section takes a closer look at that JV Lacrosse program, talking with coach Kevin Scott and exploring the possibility of assistant coach Sean Mack becoming coach next season when Scott returns to Long Island. There's an article noting pole-vaulter Jason Pelletier's participation in the National Scholastic Indoor Championship in New York, and an overview of softball teams in the area that starts with Dryden.
Posted by simon at March 28, 2006 12:04 PM in Dryden Courier , Village of Dryden , schools (Dryden)