Port Jervis presents $103.74 million rollover budget; board approves series of motions ahead of May 20 vote

Port Jervis City School District Superintendent Dr. John Bell and Assistant Superintendent for Business John Timm presented a $103,741,043 rollover budget at the board meeting on Feb. 11, 2025, saying it represents a roughly $7.2 million (about 7.5%) increase over the current year.

The rollover budget keeps most line items the same and adjusts figures the district is contractually obligated to pay, Timm said. The presentation identified salary obligations, higher special‑education costs and increased debt service as primary drivers of the increase, and outlined options the board will consider—including additional state aid, use of fund balance or a future tax-levy increase—to close any remaining gap.

Why it matters: the budget sets revenue and spending levels for schools, determines whether the district will use reserves and influences whether the public will approve capital projects and the operating budget on the May 20 ballot.

Key numbers and drivers

- Total rollover budget presented: $103,741,043 (presented as a $7,200,000 increase; ~7.5%). - Salary costs cited as increasing by about $1,500,000, driven in part by step increases and pending retirements. - Special-education expenditures were cited as increasing $2,250,000. - Debt‑service costs were described as increasing roughly $3,000,000; Timm said corresponding state aid will offset that increase over time. - Transportation costs were projected to increase about $900,000. - Retirement-system costs and employer FICA/social‑security matching were noted (retirement +$300,000; social‑security match +$200,000). - Health‑insurance costs were estimated to rise about 2.5–3%, producing roughly $100,000 in additional expense. - Timm said he proposes using approximately $3,000,000 of the district—s fund balance in the plan; he said the district has not yet spent the $2,000,000 it used previously and that the additional financing need could be roughly $1,000,000. - The district—s current tax levy was cited as $29,000,000; 1% of that levy was stated as $290,000 (used to illustrate the revenue impact of levy changes).

Timeline and next steps

Timm said the district will hold a budget workshop and a more detailed pupil‑personnel budget review at the March 11 board meeting. He described April as the month when the state—s final aid runs will be available and reminded the public that voter registration for the budget vote must be completed by April 30. The public budget vote and school board election were scheduled for May 20, 2025.

How the district might balance the budget

Timm outlined four primary responses the district could combine: (1) accept a higher state-aid figure in April, (2) use more fund balance, (3) raise the tax levy, or (4) reduce expenditures. He said the presented rollover is a baseline that preserves contractual obligations and that further changes will be proposed in upcoming budget workshops.

Related capital projects and facilities work

Superintendent Bell reviewed ongoing capital work tied to previously voter‑approved phases: two rooftop HVAC units in the cafeteria are scheduled for replacement during the upcoming break; auditorium rooftop units will be replaced over spring break; and the high school and middle‑school roofs will be replaced this summer using remaining funds from earlier phases. Bell said Phase 5—air conditioning for all classrooms—would be submitted as a capital project for voter consideration in May.

Board actions taken (votes at a glance)

The board approved a slate of consent and action items during the same meeting. Each item below was moved to the floor and recorded as carried in the meeting minutes or on the record.

- Adopted 2025–26 student calendar (motion carried). - Approved a resolution authorizing transfer of funds from a reserve account to the general fund (motion carried). - Designated the voter‑registration day for the May 20, 2025 school‑budget vote and election (motion carried). - Adopted a lead‑agency declaration for Phase 5 under environmental review (SEQRA) (motion carried). - Approved amendments to the PJTN memorandum of agreement (MOA) covering items including intramural coaching, curriculum salaries and the workday definition (motion carried). - Approved capital project allowances and change orders for ongoing projects (motion carried). - Took first reading on a package of policy revisions (policies listed to be considered on second read); carried to the floor for study and further action. - Approved policy 7110 (student attendance) on first and final reading to allow excused absences for learners—‑permit and road‑test attendance (motion carried). - Carried the consent agenda and approved a slate of personnel items including retirements and appointments (motion carried).

Speakers and attributions

Public statements and numbers in this article come from the meeting record and the following speakers (first reference includes role/title as stated at the meeting): - Dr. John Bell, Superintendent of Schools (Port Jervis City School District) - John Timm, Assistant Superintendent for Business (Port Jervis City School District) - Tanya Duryea, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services (Port Jervis City School District)

Clarifying details from the meeting

- The rollover approach keeps existing programs and adjusts mandatory obligations (salaries, contractual payouts, mandated special‑education expenditures). - Timm said the district anticipates retirements that require payout of sick‑time incentives and has embedded an allowance for those payments in salary codes. - Timm described the $3,000,000 jump in debt service as tied to recent borrowings; he said the corresponding state aid is expected to offset that cost over time.

Community relevance and next public dates

- Voter registration day: April 30, 2025 (district clerk office, 150 Pike Street, Port Jervis). - Budget vote and school board election: May 20, 2025 (polling hours discussed at the meeting).

Ending

The board will continue budget deliberations at a March budget workshop and the March 11 board meeting, when staff will present a more detailed pupil‑personnel budget review and fund‑balance status. Public hearings and final adoption steps were set to continue through April and May per the schedule presented.