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Board reviews $63.3 million proposed budget; approves capital outlay resolution and other routine motions
Summary
District business manager presented the final 2025–26 budget proposal: $63,310,108 in total revenue and a 2.22% tax‑levy increase. The board approved a capital outlay SEQRA resolution, a new job description and several consent items; the budget will be presented as Proposition 1 at the May 20 vote.
District staff presented the final proposed general fund budget for the 2025–26 school year and the board approved several routine resolutions and consent items during the meeting.
Budget numbers: the district's proposed total revenue for 2025–26 is $63,310,108; state aid in the proposal reflects the governor's recommendation (staff noted the state budget had not been enacted), and the proposed tax levy is $20,790,870, a 2.22% increase from the prior year. Staff said the estimated tax‑rate effect in a worst‑case scenario (no change in assessments or equalization) would be about $0.35 per $1,000 of assessed value — roughly $69.80 on a $200,000 home and $34.90 on a $100,000 home.
Expenditures and drivers: instruction comprises about 57% of the general fund budget; staff highlighted a 22.3% increase in general support dollars and a 5% increase in instruction, driven largely by salary and benefits. Transportation costs are projected to rise (staff estimated a near‑10% increase) because the district must rebid outplacement special‑education transportation for school year and summer contracts. Employee benefits were shown rising about 6.9%; debt service is expected to fall about 20% while interfund transfers rise substantially to stabilize the district's tax‑cap calculations.
Staff noted revenue assumptions rely on the governor's state aid proposal; the legislature had not enacted a final state budget at the time of the presentation. The board reviewed the budget timeline: a budget hearing is scheduled for May 12 and the district vote is set for May 20 (11 a.m.–9 p.m.). Election district polling places were described (north of Main Street votes at Robert Morris; south of Main Street/Route 5 votes at the high school).
Board actions taken: the board approved a new job description for a UN Resources Director (motion by Board member Rolfe; second by Miss Anderson), adopted a resolution classifying the 2025–26 capital outlay project under the State Environmental Quality Review Act as a Type II action (motion by Miss Lendly; second Miss Mulvaney), approved a consent grouping of routine items, and approved the district's proposed general fund budget to present as Proposition 1 at the May 20 vote. The board also approved the BOCES administrative budget and related annual items and approved the property tax report card and real property tax exemption reports.
One nomination was put forward to the NISVA area 1 director (David Alauri for Jan. 1, 2026'Dec. 31, 2027); the transcript records some opposition being voiced during that nomination discussion but does not record a clear final roll call in the meeting transcript excerpt.
Where votes were recorded, the meeting minutes show voice votes with the clerk calling "All in favor? Aye." The transcript does not contain written roll‑call tallies for each motion.
Next steps: the board will present the proposed $63,310,108 budget as Proposition 1 at the May 20 annual vote; staff will continue to monitor the state budget process for any changes to state aid assumptions.
