Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Facilities Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District previews noninstructional budget: custodial staffing, utilities, grounds robot and electric‑bus study
Summary
Finance staff outlined noninstructional budget pressures and proposals including a custodial hire request, rising utility costs, a leased GPS field‑marking robot, and a NYSERDA‑funded electrification study to guide possible electric‑bus purchases and infrastructure changes.
District business officials presented the noninstructional portion of the proposed 2025–26 budget, highlighting custodial staffing needs, utility cost increases, grounds equipment efficiencies and ongoing transportation planning tied to electrification requirements.
Officials asked the board to consider adding one custodial helper at Algonquin to reduce square footage per custodian at night. They said heating‑oil costs had fallen from a recent peak but that the district faces a larger jump in electric costs following a new cooperative bid; officials estimated the 2024–25 electric spend will be substantially higher than the prior year and said they had completed a budget transfer to cover current shortfalls.
The grounds department has leased a GPS field‑marking robot (annual lease roughly $93,100) that staff said has already reduced paint costs and increased efficiency; staff said the robot will be owned by the district at the end of the lease. Maintenance staff presented a proposed $100,000 capital‑outlay project (to be selected from a list of smaller facility projects) and outlined a multi‑year plan to replace near‑end‑of‑life technology and infrastructure.
Transportation staff briefed the board on bus‑fleet purchasing and the state timetable that requires zero‑emission buses for purchases by 2027 and a full transition by 2035. The district is conducting a NYSERDA‑funded fuel‑electrification study and expects a draft report in February; staff said they will delay any large electric bus purchases until the study clarifies facility and funding needs. Staff also noted a potential increase in routes and drivers if more out‑of‑district placements are finalized.
In technology, staff noted a retirement that will reduce headcount in 2025–26 and described a phased replacement of wireless access points and core switches, funded in part by e‑rate and Smart Schools Bond Act monies. The presenter said software costs are rising and that textbook funds may be shifted to accommodate technology needs.
No formal budget vote took place at this meeting; trustees asked for follow‑up materials, including a finalized NYSERDA report, comparative utility visualizations and further detail on transportation infrastructure and any grant funding available for electric vehicles.
