Beekmantown budget proposal counts on state aid, raises tax levy to 3.85% and adds two teaching positions

Beekmantown Central School District officials on March 11 presented a near-final budget for the 2025–26 school year that assumes about $27 million in state aid, a tax levy increase of 3.85 percent (an increase of $932,315 to a levy of $25,125,692) and a set of line items to address staffing, transportation and pilot programs.

School business manager Jen Holliman told the board the district is still awaiting action on the New York State budget; once that is finalized the revenue side of the district budget will be final. "The 1 thing that we're still waiting is the final state budget," Holliman said during the presentation. "Once the state budget is approved and finalized, that would be our final number on the revenue side."

Why it matters: the district's proposal relies on the state aid estimate and the tax levy to fund operations while maintaining reserves and avoiding large year-to-year spikes for taxpayers. Holliman said property taxes will supply about 44 percent of next year—s revenues and state aid about 51 percent. The presentation outlined an anticipated $2,000,000 appropriated fund balance (down roughly 18 percent from the current year) and an appropriated reserve (debt service) of $300,000 that Holliman said will be drawn down over the next several years.

Major budget assumptions and proposed additions

- State aid: Holliman said the district—s working figure for state aid is about $27,000,000 but cautioned the legislature—s final actions could change that number. She noted the governor—s budget proposal included favorable adjustments that had the district expecting a higher foundation aid percentage than earlier formula estimates.

- Tax levy: "The tax levy limit calculation was 3.85%. That is our final calculation, which is an increase of $932,315," Holliman said.

- Payroll and benefits: Retirement system costs rose modestly for teacher retirement (reported as about 0.03 percent) while ERS rose by nearly 2 percent; health insurance premium increases were presented as a blended 5 percent increase.

- Positions: The administration proposed two new full-year positions in the draft budget: one special-education teacher (school/grade and final location to be determined through annual review) and one secondary math teacher to address course sequencing and to reduce shared positions between middle and high schools.

- Transportation and buses: The presentation asked the board to consider a new routing/transportation software to improve routing efficiency, real-time tracking and parent communications. Holliman said the district demoed a vendor that several neighboring districts use and that the software could help optimize runs given ongoing bus driver shortages. On bus purchases, Holliman said the district is constrained by the amount voters authorized; if bus prices rise the district could end up buying fewer buses. She gave rough price ranges discussed in the meeting: regular buses in the $175,000–$180,000 range and a handicapped-access bus approaching $200,000. Holliman also discussed a statewide push toward electrification, saying districts are monitoring evolving mandates and studying infrastructure needs; she said the district had begun preliminary work with NYSERDA on a free electrification-fleet study.

- Canine inclusion: The presenters proposed adding a small budget line—roughly $10,000—toward what the agenda called a "canine inclusion" program as a partial, contingent contribution while the district and program directors seek sustainable funding sources (current funding of the program is through ELT; Holliman said ELT status is uncertain).

- Reserves and fund balance: The presentation described an approach to draw down the debt service reserve gradually to avoid a single-year cliff, reducing the $300,000 appropriation over multiple years.

Board questions and context

Board members pressed on how the district will staff new classrooms that will come online after a capital project, whether new prekindergarten (UPK) capacity could come from state UPK grants, and on the impact of employees— spouses enrolling in district health coverage. Superintendent and finance staff said they are monitoring those lines closely and will return with more specifics. On bus electrification, Holliman said the district will need route and infrastructure analyses and that the statewide timetable and funding are still in flux.

Votes at a glance

At the March 11 meeting the board approved multiple consent and action items that affect budget timing and implementation. Key approvals recorded in the minutes include:

- Miscellaneous consent agenda (approved): included the 2025–26 school calendar, a contract for a confidential secretary to the superintendent, an athletic merger, a revised 2025–26 budget calendar and the Beekmantown Central School District strategic plan goals and key performance indicators. (Motion and second: not specified in transcript; outcome: approved.)

- Revised budget calendar (approved): the board set an April 15, 2025 regular meeting to act on the budget and kept an April 29 meeting for the CVES vote. (Outcome: approved as part of the miscellaneous consent agenda.)

- Personnel consent agenda (approved): resignations, appointments, unpaid leaves, tenure and retirement items were approved. (Motion/second: not specified; outcome: approved.)

- CSE/CPSE/504 recommendations dated 03/11/25 (approved): the student special-education recommendations on the agenda were approved (motion by John Fairchild per transcript; outcome: approved).

Items discussed but not decided

No final district budget was adopted at the meeting; the presenters described a near-final proposal and set dates for further review. Holliman said the final revenue picture depends on the state budget.

Sources and evidence

This article summarizes the finance presentation and board discussion given at the Beekmantown Central School District board meeting on March 11, 2025. Evidence spans the budget presentation and ensuing questions recorded in the meeting transcript.

Ending

The board scheduled a budget workshop for March 25, 2025 at 5 p.m. in the district office conference room to review line items in more detail. The board will revisit the budget at its April 15 meeting and the district will monitor state budget developments that could change the final revenue assumptions.