Mineola board reviews $114.4M budget, backs $3.3M HS projects and a new $20M capital reserve for voters

Assistant Superintendent and business official Will Herman presented the Mineola Union Free School District pos;s proposed 2026-27 budget on March 26, outlining a $114,419,374 total budget — about a 1.98% increase year over year — and asking the board to place two capital-related propositions on the May ballot. "Appropriated fund balance is the district pos;s fund balance or accumulated savings that we can use to balance next year," Herman said during the presentation, describing how the district might use reserves to smooth revenue fluctuations.

Herman told the board that the district pos;s final salary projection is 1.61%, a roughly $6.36 million change from an earlier estimate, and that salaries and benefits together remain the largest budget component (about 78.6% of the total). He highlighted non-personnel changes driving the increase, including a proposed $1.1 million increase for security services to add full-day dedicated guards at elementary schools and expanded supervisory/security expertise for emergency-management planning; higher insurance costs; a reclassification of several technology and software maintenance lines into BOCES codes; and a modest decrease in projected utilities spending.

The presentation also described a capital ballot package. Resolution 82, which the board approved in procedural form that night, would place a proposition on the May ballot to expend up to $3.3 million from the district pos;s existing 2022 capital reserve on three high-school projects: replacement of two boilers, replacement of auditorium air-conditioning units (and any related electrical work), and HVAC upgrades for the Fab Lab. Herman said the boilers are original to the building and "in dire need of replacement," and that the work is intended to modernize equipment and improve efficiencies.

Separately, Resolution 83, also approved for ballot language that night, would ask voters to authorize a new Mineola 2026 capital reserve with a $20 million cap and 12-year life. Herman explained that the reserve language is intentionally broad so future voters and the board can target funds to the district pos;s highest priorities as needs change. He said the 2022 reserve is nearly fully funded and that the new reserve would allow the district to continue saving surpluses for capital work rather than borrowing.

Herman walked the board through three revenue scenarios (a maximum-allowed levy scenario and two lower-levy scenarios). Under the lower-levy options the district would use more appropriated fund balance to cover the gap; Herman described appropriated fund balance as a short-term, one-time tool and urged caution about long-term reliance. He also reviewed the district pos;s bus-replacement schedule (six vehicles proposed next year) and noted that some long-term debt will roll off the schedule in coming years, creating a place for future discussion about capital planning.

The board set the calendar the presentation described: budget adoption on April 16, a public budget hearing on May 7 and the district vote/election on May 19. Herman said the board will refine numbers as state aid and final levy numbers are confirmed.

Next steps: the board will vote to adopt the budget on April 16; the public can attend the May 7 hearing and will vote on the budget and the capital propositions on May 19.