Hendrick Hudson board reviews superintendent's final budget; adoption vote set for April 2

The Hendrick Hudson Central School District Board of Education on March 19 completed a final review of the superintendent's proposed budget and set an April 2 meeting for the board to vote on adopting the spending plan that will go to voters.

The superintendent's proposal shows a budget-to-budget spending increase of 2.86 percent and a tax-levy change of 4.58 percent. District staff presented the budget as a three-part plan required by state rules and regulations: an administrative component representing about 7.4 percent of the total (approximately $7 million), a capital component representing about 9.4 percent (approximately $9 million), and a program component that accounts for the bulk of spending (approximately $80.1 million). Salaries and benefits were identified as the district's largest expense, roughly $76 million.

District staff said the draft includes a mix of reductions and targeted, contingent additions to balance the budget. The proposed reductions rely heavily on attrition: the district plans not to refill some positions when employees retire or leave, and to eliminate seven permanent substitute positions. The draft also includes four contingent positions to address possible changes in student programming. Staff stressed that the proposals are subject to change if major variables such as final state aid figures differ before adoption.

Board members asked for and received a line-by-line budget file that the administration said is available to the public, showing three years of history, department-level totals, dollar and percent changes between years, and detail down to subject and grade. District staff said that document mirrors the information shown at the March 15 line-by-line public forum and that the public may review it while the board finalizes its proposal.

District officials confirmed how the budget is funded: property taxes are the largest single revenue source, followed by state aid. The board and staff said the district is using fund balance and reserves in the current calculations; one board member clarified that the draft includes an $875,000 reserve in the fund-balance calculations.

Also noted for the ballot at the district's annual budget vote are: the proposed school budget, a board of education election, establishment of a capital reserve (the proposition establishes the reserve but does not place funds into it at this time), the Hendrick Hudson Free Library budget, and a proposition to permit the district to purchase buses.

On staffing, the board discussed but decided not to pursue a districtwide reduction of non-mandated teaching assistants at this time; the board directed that conversations about the role and philosophy of teaching assistants continue outside the budget-adoption timeline so stakeholders can provide input. District staff also described the tenure process as separate from the budget process.

District staff warned that final state aid numbers had not been received and that any late, material change in aid could require adjustments before or after board adoption; they said additional aid, if received, could be applied to fund balance.

No formal adoption vote occurred at the March 19 meeting; the board is scheduled to take a formal vote on the budget at its April 2 public meeting. Until that vote, the document presented on March 19 remains the superintendent's proposed budget.

Votes at a glance

- Adoption of superintendent's budget: scheduled for April 2 (no vote at this meeting)

Ending: The board closed the budget discussion after public access to the line-by-line book was confirmed and asked members of the public to review the posted documents ahead of the April 2 adoption vote.