Board hears 2025–26 budget proposal; board approves consensus items and consulting services for capital project financing

The Gates Chili Board of Education received a detailed 2025–26 budget presentation on March 25 from Mitch Baldy, assistant superintendent for business, and then approved several unanimous motions, including consulting services for the district’s $88 million capital project financing.

Baldy outlined a proposed overall spending increase of 4.85% driven by pension and salary costs, a 14% rise in health‑insurance rates (offset in part by new hires on high‑deductible plans), and increased transportation and operations costs. He said about $7.3 million of the increase is associated with payroll and benefit categories, though savings in other areas reduce the net impact.

Baldy described three budget components required under New York regulations: administrative, programmatic (instructional) and capital. He said the instructional/programmatic component would rise 5.91% and the capital component 1.59%, noting debt‑service increases of roughly $1 million tied to prior capital work (with matching aid expected). He said 73% of the budget is for instruction, under 10% for administration and about 17% for capital; roughly 66 cents of each dollar is salary and benefits.

Baldy said the district is planning administrative restructuring projected to save more than $200,000: roles will shift across finance, payroll, human resources, operations and communications, with specific personnel moves announced by Superintendent Daley later in the meeting. He said the district would reduce its appropriated fund balance use if additional foundation aid materializes from state SAIPE data and continue to target funds for special education, kindergarten aides and academic intervention services.

On taxes, Baldy warned that one‑time factors — an expired pilot returned to local tax rolls and a reassessment — will likely depress tax rates in the coming year before they rebound, making early rate projections unreliable. He also described three propositions to appear to voters: the annual budget, a bus‑purchase proposition and a capital reserve for bus purchases intended to reduce annual debt issuance costs and interest fees over time.

After the presentation the board voted on routine business and action items. The meeting record shows unanimous votes on the consensus agenda and consensus items C through L, and a unanimous approval of consulting services from BPD for financial services in connection with the district’s $88,000,000 capital project. The transcript records the motions and that each vote was “unanimous” but does not record individual board member roll‑call votes.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve the consensus agenda: approved unanimously (present members voted in favor). - Motion to approve consensus items C through L: approved unanimously (present members voted in favor). - Motion to approve consulting services from BPD for financial services in connection with the district’s $88,000,000 capital project: approved unanimously (present members voted in favor).

Less critical details: Baldy discussed budget‑ambassador sessions (two three‑hour meetings with six participants total), bus‑purchase timing and the district’s aim to adopt the budget on April 22 with a public hearing and Meet the Candidate night on May 1 and the budget vote scheduled for May 20.