Victor Central previews rollover budget as personnel costs and low operational reserves loom

Victor Central School District staff on Wednesday presented a preliminary "rollover" budget that maintains current staffing and programs while flagging rising personnel costs, shrinking operational reserves and continued planning for a $99 million capital project.

Christine, a district presenter, told the board the district's total restricted fund balance was "just over $10,000,000" at fiscal year end 06/30/2025 and that the capital reserve has been drawn down to about "$3,300,000." She added that the district's operational reserves — excluding capital — are "$6,800,000," which she said "represents 6.2% of our $109,000,000 budget," and cautioned that "6.2% isn't very much" compared with peer districts.

The rollover budget is a baseline projection that assumes existing staffing and contractual obligations continue but excludes new initiatives, retirements or equipment requests. "It is strictly the cost to keep doing exactly what we're doing today but in the 26–27 economic environment," Christine said, explaining the starting assumptions the district will use while developing more detailed proposals.

Personnel remains the largest budget driver. The presenter projected a $1,500,000 increase (about 4%) in instructional salaries and said non‑instructional salaries and fringe benefits will also rise. "We anticipate a 10.2% increase in [fringe benefits], which is over $3,200,000 due to rising health insurance costs," Christine said. On a summary basis the district's current baseline budget was cited at roughly $109,771,040, with personnel-related increases accounting for about $5.2–$5.3 million (roughly 4.8% over the prior year).

Non‑personnel lines were held flat for the rollover projection — including equipment, contractual services, tuition, BOCES and debt — and were shown as about $26,300,000 in the presentation. Christine warned those assumptions could change as revenue projections, enrollment shifts and the consumer price index (CPI) are factored in.

Board members pressed for clarity on inflation pressures. One asked whether non‑personnel costs would rise because of CPI and utilities; Christine said she expects CPI pressure and singled out utilities, which "had a big increase last year," and said the district will consult fiscal advisers about bonding and interest costs tied to the capital project.

Members also questioned the conservatism of personnel estimates during ongoing contract negotiations. Christine said the estimates are based on current contractual parameters and that staff prefer to budget conservatively rather than risk underfunding next year.

Board members asked for comparative reserve data from similar districts. Christine said staff will provide regional comparisons — noting the district can be measured against peers by budget size, demographics or county groupings — to help determine an appropriate reserve target.

On capital planning, presenters and members discussed treating capital reserves separately from operational reserves and building a multi‑year cushion to reduce taxpayer impacts in future bond or capital votes. As an example, Christine noted a $99,000,000 capital project in which the district used roughly $28,000,000 of local funds and referenced a 65% building aid ratio as a planning metric.

Next steps: Christine said her office and the assistant superintendent for personnel will meet with departments and buildings to collect staffing and non‑staffing requests, calculate costs and present prioritized requests to district cabinet. The board will meet approximately twice monthly; final budget recommendations are expected in April and the budget will go to a public vote in May, coinciding with the Board of Education election.

The presentation included staff projections and assumptions rather than formal board actions or votes. The board closed the meeting after thanking staff for the work and acknowledged this is the first full budget season for the presenter.