Board approves 2025-26 budget, tax report card, Head Start revision and array of facilities and contract items

The Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education on Monday approved the district’s recommended 2025-26 general fund budget, the required tax report card, a corrective action plan responding to an internal audit, and several facilities and procurement resolutions.

The board voted to place a $202,640,136 general fund budget before voters on May 20. Superintendent Mark Laurrie told the board the budget does not increase the property tax levy and relies on about $3.6 million of fund balance to balance the plan. "No tax levy increase, no program or people cut," Laurrie said during the presentation. The board also approved the district’s real property tax report card for 2025-26, a document the district must file with the state.

The board approved a corrective action plan in response to the district’s internal audit report for 2023-24; the audit committee had recommended the district submit the responses and the district will file the finalized plan with the state by April 30 after Bonadio removes the draft watermark. The internal audit and the corrective actions are addressed in a separate staff presentation and are summarized in a companion article.

Other motions the board approved included a revision to the continuation application for the 2025-26 Head Start and Early Head Start grant to reflect a reduced student count, a resolution to repair and replace a boiler at the central office building, authorization to apply pesticides on the Niagara Falls High School grounds for tick control (with 48-hour notice and timing to avoid use conflict), and a resolution to standardize purchases on Ford Motor Company vehicles for district fleet needs.

The board also authorized a change order (SCC-13) and approved a set of contractor payment applications for capital projects that are near completion; the board’s presentations noted capital-work progress and projected project completion by Aug. 31.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - 2025-26 general fund budget (resolution 6.10): approved (roll call: Mr. Bilson—Yes; Mr. Capizzi—Yes; Mrs. Dunn—Yes; Mr. Perretto—Yes; Mr. Gallardo—Yes; Mr. Velardo—Yes; Mr. Petrosi—Yes). - Real property tax report card 2025-26 (6.11): approved (same roll call outcome). - Corrective action plan in response to internal audit (6.12): approved; the audit committee recommended approval and staff will file the final responses with the state by April 30. - Revision to Head Start/Early Head Start continuation application (6.06): approved. - Boiler replacement at central office (6.07): approved. - Pesticide application for tick control on NFHS grounds (6.08): approved with 48-hour notice and planned timing to avoid occupancy/game conflicts. - Standardization of district vehicle purchases to Ford products (6.09): approved; will appear on May bid sheet. - Change order SCC-13 and contractor payment applications (6.13–6.19): approved.

Board officers and staff said the budget keeps the tax levy at its current level while drawing on reserves to cover one-time capital bond payments and equipment replacements. The superintendent and business staff said the budget grows by about 4.18% year-to-year on operations and that an additional $2.5 million in state aid is earmarked for capital bond repayments rather than classroom programs.

The board held routine roll-call votes earlier in the meeting to approve minutes, certificated and classified personnel reports, committee special education reports, the treasurer’s report and other consent items.

The board adjourned with plans to reconvene for board meetings on May 8, May 15 and the statutorily required meeting after the May 20 vote results.