Webster Central School District budget workshop: small Foundation Aid cut, BOCES and benefits drive pressure
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Summary
At a Feb. 24 budget workshop, district staff said a February state database trimmed Webster’s Foundation Aid estimate by $48,003.77 from $49,939,007.36 and flagged rising BOCES, insurance and benefits costs as the main upward pressures on the roughly $110 million budget.
Staff member presented the district’s preliminary budget picture at the Feb. 24 Board of Education workshop, saying Webster’s Foundation Aid estimate from November — $49,939,007.36 — fell in the February state database by $48,003.77.
“That number is kind of like a living number now,” Staff member said, explaining that small formula changes — a pupil‑needs index drop from 1.265 to 1.264, a SAPE factor change from 0.0621 to 0.0601, and a CPI shift from 2.8 to 2.7 — combined to reduce the grant by the stated amount.
Why it matters: Staff member said the district remains above hold‑harmless levels despite the slight reduction, but BOCES costs, insurance and benefits are increasing and are the key budget drivers. “BOCES is the largest part of this budget at almost $2,100,000 now — that’s a $58,000 increase,” Staff member said, summarizing central services pressures.
The presentation outlined other central items: liability and student-accident insurance trending up (a 3.23% increase), noninstructional salaries rising about 4% while instructional salaries dip slightly because of expected retirements, and supplies/contractual lines held flat after last year’s reductions.
Buildings and grounds, transportation and debt service also factored into the discussion. Staff member said buildings and grounds is up roughly 4.67% year over year because of higher overtime, software costs to run facility systems and energy delivery fees; transportation is up about 5%, driven by overtime and higher contractor rates. On debt service, the district will show a small increase tied to bus borrowing for an EV bus purchase approved last year, though grant funding to offset borrowing has not yet materialized.
The board set next steps and dates: workshop 2 on March 24, workshop 3 in April, budget adoption April 14 and a budget hearing on May 5. Staff member said the presentation will be posted on the district website.
The workshop included routine procedural motions to open and adjourn the meeting and no formal budget votes; the board will revisit figures and building-aid offsets in future workshops.