Maine‑Endwell proposes $76 million spending plan, will use $1.8M surplus to cover Maine Memorial addition

Maine‑Endwell Central School District held a public hearing on the proposed 2025–26 budget during which district leaders presented a $76,000,000 spending plan and said they will apply $1,800,000 of this year’s surplus to make up a state‑aid shortfall for the Maine Memorial classroom addition.

The hearing, led by Mr. Van Fossen, chief school administrator, explained the proposal and invited public questions. “This is a meeting for the public. So if you are here in attendance, you can ask questions as we go,” Van Fossen said. He described the use of surplus funds as a way to avoid asking taxpayers for additional money: “We can use 1,800,000.0 to fill that gap, still get the work done at Maine Memorial, and not have to ask taxpayers for additional funds.”

Why it matters: the district said 58% of its revenue comes from New York State aid, and leaders flagged long‑range projections that show deficits returning in later years if revenues underperform expenditures. Officials said stable enrollment and funded reserves give them time to plan, but they emphasized monitoring state aid and other variables that affect future budgets.

Most important facts

- Spending plan and propositions: The district described the $76,000,000 spending plan that will appear as a proposition on the May ballot. District staff said voters will also be asked to approve a separate proposition for six large diesel buses; that bus purchase is presented as a separate proposition but is factored into debt service calculations.

- Use of surplus for Maine Memorial: Van Fossen explained that a classroom addition at Maine Memorial received less state aid than previously expected after project submission and approval by the New York State Education Department. To avoid reducing the project scope or asking for additional taxpayer funding, the district proposes applying $1,800,000 of the current surplus to cover the gap.

- Tax levy and voter thresholds: The district plans a 2.09% tax levy increase, which it said equals about $555,000 more than last year. Van Fossen explained New York’s tax‑levy limit rules: staying within the limit requires a simple majority (50.1%) for passage; exceeding it by more than 0.1% would require 60% approval.

- Major cost drivers: Salaries and benefits are the largest expenditures. The presentation cited roughly $29,000,000 for salaries and about $17,000,000 for benefits. The district reported approximately 500 staff, including about 240 teachers; some positions are grant funded and appear in separate funds.

- BOCES services and aid: The district reported roughly $14,000,000 in BOCES payments for shared services such as special education programs, IT and food services. Staff explained the district receives state aid for aidable BOCES services the following year (roughly 70–80% reimbursement in the example given), which reduces net local cost.

- Capital project and reserves: A planned $64,000,000 capital project will increase debt service when it comes on the books; the district expects corresponding state aid. Officials also said they need to create a new capital reserve because an older reserve is aging out; establishing or using a capital reserve requires voter authorization.

- Solar and utilities: Officials said the district’s solar arrangement is generating enough credits to offset electricity costs (reported as covering electricity at about 103%), so those costs are not a net expenditure in this year’s budget presentation.

Public questions and transparency concerns

Several audience members asked for more detailed breakdowns in the materials mailed or provided to taxpayers. One commenter said the printed booklet and mailings can be confusing and requested the district send more detailed budget materials to all taxpayers; Van Fossen noted the district is meeting statutory requirements for the 3‑part budget format and offered to provide detailed breakdowns by appointment. Another commenter, Dave (resident), noted comparative county and statewide rankings and asked the district to consider tax‑rate pressures; he said, “Broome County is 58 out of 62 counties in median household income.”

Board and staff follow‑up items

District staff invited residents to schedule appointments to review detailed budget breakdowns and said more detailed internal reports are provided to the board while the public booklet follows the New York State 3‑part budget presentation format. Staff also noted the board will act on budget results after the May 20 vote and that if the budget is defeated the district must either revote or adopt a contingency budget, which would require specific reductions per state formula.

Ending

The district encouraged questions before the May 20 vote and reiterated that voters in different zones will vote at different polling locations (Maine Memorial for the main zone; Staff Bell Room for the Enfield zone). The public hearing concluded with staff offering to provide further detail on salary lines, BOCES services, the capital project aid estimate and other items on request.