Budget Information

2019-20 Proposed Budget

Vote: Tuesday, May 21 from 12:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Preserving programs for students while planning for the district’s continued enrollment growth is the main focus of the 2019-20 school budget.

No cuts to programs or staff are required in the $9,797,480 budget. The 2.52% tax levy increase is once again within New York’s Property Tax Cap.

“We continue to look for ways to create opportunities for students while being mindful of our taxpayers,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reardon. “This budget ensures we’re planning for the short term and long term to avoid spikes in future spending.”

One long-term challenge the budget helps plan for is future tuition payments for students to attend high schools. Graduating class sizes will begin to increase after the Class of 2019.

“Our enrollment is growing,” said Dr. Reardon. “We had a little over 300 students when I started here four years ago and now we’re over 400. It’s great that our district is growing but we have to plan for the future costs for our students to attend high school.”

Students will have more access to library services next year as the library media specialist increases from 0.8 to 0.9 full-time equivalency. The move is part of a long-term plan to restore the position to a full-time position to help students develop better researching skills and create collaborative learning opportunities with classroom teachers.

The budget also maintains a teaching assistant for grades 3 and 5 to support those grades with relatively larger class sizes. The Pre-Kindergarten program will continue with one classroom and textbook, hardware and software funding is included to support all grades.

“We also will continue to look to create opportunities for our students at no cost to the district, such as adding electives so our middle school students have choices similar to larger districts,” said Dr. Reardon. “I’m proud of the fact that the administrative portion of our budget has decreased each year I’ve been here so we can focus more funding on program.”

 

Proposition Would Create Capital Reserve Fund

A proposition on the May 21 ballot would create a Capital Reserve Fund that would allow the district to set aside up to $2.5 million over 10 years to address infrastructure needs.

Voters approved a similar Capital Reserve Fund in 2014, which expired this year. That reserve was used to pay for the local share of the recent Capital Project without impacting the general budget.

Money for the Capital Reserve Fund would primarily come from fund balance and other reserves. If there is excess money left at the end of the school year, due to projected revenues being greater than expenditures, money could be put in the Capital Reserve fund.

Before the district can spend any money from the Capital Reserve fund, it must receive voter approval. An example of this was last year when voters approved using $500,000 from the previously created Capital Reserve Fund to pay for a portion of the Capital Project.

 

Proposition Would Fund Repair Reserve Fund

A proposition on the May 21 ballot would fund a Repair Reserve Fund with up to $250,000 to pay for repairs and maintenance expenses that do not occur regularly.

The Board of Education established the Repair Reserve Fund this past year but voter approval is required to fund it.

“The Repair Reserve Fund would help us make repairs without taking money from the general fund,” explained Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reardon. “We plan to use the funding for enhancements such as resurfacing the parking lot and bus loop.”

Money for the Repair Reserve Fund would primarily come from fund balance and other reserves. If there is excess money left at the end of the school year, due to projected revenues being greater than expenditures, money could be put in the Repair Reserve fund.

 

Bus Purchases Part of Long-Term Plan

As part of the district’s long-term bus replacement program, a proposition on the May 21 ballot would allow the district to purchase one 66-passenger and one 28-passenger bus.

The total cost would not exceed $160,437. The district pays approximately one-third of the total cost because New York State reimburses the district for 65% of bus purchases. The local cost for both buses would not exceed $56,153.

The district purchases school buses as part of its long-term bus replacement plan to keep the district’s fleet in safe, working order. New buses replace old buses based on the vehicle’s mileage, age, repair history and condition.

 

2019-20 Budget Resources

2018-19 Budget Resources

Archived Budget Information

2017-18 School Budget Information
2016-17 School Budget Information
2015-16 School Budget Information
2014-15 School Budget Information
2013-14 School Budget Information
2012-13 School Budget Information
2011-12 School Budget Information
2010-11 School Budget Information