Williamsville board reviews budget update and postpones 2026–27 calendar pending family survey

Acting Assistant Superintendent Dr. McGinley (speaker 21) presented the board’s third budget update on March 10. He said the working budget is $247,947,396, representing a 2.15% budget‑to‑budget increase, and described the district’s state aid projection (after excluding UPK) at approximately $70.32 million. The proposed tax levy in the draft is 2.99%, which Dr. McGinley said places the district approximately $221,448 below the maximum tax cap; if needed, the district could raise the levy to the cap (3.14%) to manage anticipated increases in the BOCES budget and fuel and energy costs.

Board members discussed whether to use the full tax cap to avoid leaving funds ‘‘on the table.’’ One board member (speaker 7) said she would support moving to the 3.14% cap because the funds would be needed for costs such as BOCES budget increases and transportation changes. Administrators noted that building aid timing and state calculations affect revenue projections and that the BOCES budget is not yet finalized.

Separately, the board debated an amendment to the proposed 2026–27 student calendar that would start student attendance on Sept. 1, add the day before Thanksgiving and the day before Christmas Eve as student days off, and provide one additional floating snow/heat day. Rather than adopt the amended calendar immediately, the board voted to postpone calendar approval and send a two‑option survey to families comparing the current draft with the amended start‑early calendar. The motion to postpone and survey carried 6–1; Miss Fletch voted opposed.

What happens next: the budget team will continue monitoring state aid and BOCES numbers ahead of the March 24 meeting and may return with revised projections. The district will publish a two‑choice survey on WITS for families to weigh in on the calendar before the board finalizes the schedule.