Batavia City Schools business admin retires, board approves replacement
There likely won’t be much fanfare with the departure of Business Administrator Scott Rozanski from the city school district, despite his routine presence for two decades.
No surprise, Rozanski was the one to present the yearly budget and the potential financial trappings of bus purchases, school equipment and additional personnel.
More recently, with the dawning of social media, he was also the one to bear the brunt of retorts when stating possible tax rate increases.
Rozanski has laid it all out with seemingly thoughtful patience, from the multi-page spending plan to myriad school repairs requiring board approval. Whether it was a clock and public address system or a high school roof that was blown apart by a windstorm, it was on Rozanski to explain the expense.
He was hired as Business Administrator in 2003, and as a key advisor to the superintendent, Rozanski oversaw the preparation and administration of the district’s annual operating and capital budgets, administration of internal business operations, audits, management of state aid, insurance, transportation, contract negotiations, and planning of capital construction projects.
In a prepared statement, he said that it has been an honor and privilege to work for the Batavia City School District and that “I am grateful to have been able to assist our various superintendents and Boards of Education in meeting the educational and community needs in a fiscally responsible manner.”
“The Board has continually provided balance in offering increased opportunities and improvements to both the students and to the community in a cost-effective manner and often at times without increasing the local burden,” he said. “Personally, it has truly been both a deeply satisfying and rewarding aspect of my career, and I am pleased to have been a part of contributing to the many accomplishments. I will always cherish my time here, my Batavia CSD colleagues, and the fine people of Batavia.”
The board approved Andrew Lang as the new business administrator during its meeting Monday evening. Lang and his family sat in the audience during the meeting — mostly quiet except for one of his four young children apparently cheering Daddy on.
Most recently, Lang served as school business administrator for the Royalton-Hartland Central School District in Middleport. He is a graduate of Erie Community College and the State University of New York at Brockport, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree, his Master's in Educational Administration, and a Certificate of Advanced Study as a School Business Leader.
He thanked the board for the vote of confidence. He's a Batavia resident whose wife is a Batavia High School grad.
“I appreciate the board and the opportunity to serve with the BCSD team,” he said. “My kids will either attend or be attending.”
In a press release issued Monday evening, Superintendent Jason Smith said that Lang will be a “wonderful addition” to the school district’s leadership team, though he has big shoes to fill with the departure of Rozanski.
Lang was hired on a three-year probationary term for a pro-rated salary of $102,750.
