Manhasset Superintendent of Schools Charles Cardillo denied rumors that his services had been courted by other school districts at the board of education’s town hall-style meeting last Thursday, saying “there has never, ever, ever, ever been any discussion about leaving Manhasset to go to another district.”
“Anyone that knows me knows one of the qualities I have is I think I’m one of the most loyal people there is,” Cardillo said. “I bleed blue and orange as much as anyone in this room.”
Cardillo, who was away celebrating his son’s wedding during the board of education’s May 23 meeting to gauge residents’ concerns over the district’s failed attempt to reach a supermajority vote on its 2013-14 budget, said wedding guests were curious at how the Manhasset community could vote against what is considered one of the strongest school districts on Long Island.
“The night of the budget vote, I was as disappointed and as anyone who supported the vote would be,” Cardillo said. “My wife has an expression that I’m only as happy as my happiest child, and my children are the six boys I have at home plus the 3,200 children in this district.”
During the district’s town hall meeting Thursday, the board of education presented potential districtwide cuts that included the elimination of teachers and employees, before- and after-school academic programs and interscholastic athletics. The cuts, which totaled $4.5 million – $2.3 million less than the 2012-13 budget – would be enacted if the board puts the same $89.3 million budget originally presented to voters for the 2013-14 school year back to a vote on June 18 and again fails to win a 60 percent supermajority. The supermajority is required since the board proposed budget exceeds the state-mandated tax cap.
“Obviously, I take this seriously as we work through this difficult situation, so I think any of the things that are out there are just misinformation,” Cardillo said.
Cardillo became Manhasset’s superintendent in 2005 after a 30-year career with the Sachem School District that he began as a social studies teacher in 1975. Cardillo eventually rose to the position of deputy superintendent in Sachem.
Cardillo’s contract with Manhasset ends at the conclusion of the 2014-15 school year.
Rumors of Cardillo leaving the district were addressed during the May 23 meeting by an elderly resident who also said he heard the board of education had paid $1 million to an outside consulting firm that urged voters to pass the district’s proposed $89 million budget.
Board Vice President, Regina Rule, denied the rumor, saying the district hired a printing company for the publication of a district-made budget newsletter that was made available to Manhasset residents.
“In terms of getting out the vote, the district, other than putting the information out for the community and posting the information on the Web site, the district has no way other than making Charlie Cardillo available for community coffees on a regular basis, which he did,” Rule said.
“That million dollars that we were rumored to spend, I wish we had it, but thank you for coming and asking the question. I’m very grateful to you,” she added.
Another resident in attendance also addressed the rumor of Cardillo potentially leaving the district, concerned that his $260,000 salary and $62,259 in benefits, according to Newsday, was not competitive enough when compared to superintendents in other school districts.
At the time, the rumor was neither confirmed nor denied by the board.
“Despite what you may have heard, his salary has not changed in the last five years. We’re very sensitive to that issue,” board President Carlo Prinzo replied at the time.
