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Shelter Island School Board outlines $13.9M 2025–26 budget and four ballot propositions
Summary
The Shelter Island Union Free School District presented a $13,855,325 proposed budget for 2025–26, explained why it needs to exceed the tax cap, and listed four ballot propositions — including a Project F.I.T. roof repair and a proposal to raise private-school transport mileage from 15 to 19 miles — ahead of the May 20 vote.
The Shelter Island Union Free School District Board of Education opened a public budget hearing on May 12, 2025 and reviewed the district's proposed $13,855,325 expenditure budget for 2025'26. Board President Kathleen Lynch declared the hearing open at 6:05 pm and turned the floor over to Superintendent Dr. Brian Doelger, who summarized accomplishments, administration goals and revenue projections leading into the May 20 vote.
Dr. Doelger presented reasons the district seeks to exceed the state tax cap for the coming year and walked through revenue assumptions and ballot items. "We will now conduct a public hearing on the 2025-2026 adopted budget. I therefore declare this hearing open at 6:05 pm," Lynch said. Doelger reminded voters to cast ballots on May 20, 2025, from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm and explained how to request an absentee ballot.
The Board also placed four propositions on the May 20 ballot: Proposition 1 would adopt the $13,855,325 budget; Proposition 2 would authorize up to $49,823.42 from the Project F.I.T. Capital Reserve to reconstruct the F.I.T. Center roof (noting no tax impact because reserve funds would be used); Proposition 3 would temporarily increase the private-school transportation mileage limit from 15 to 19 miles for 2025'26; and Proposition 4 would authorize an annual $275,000 appropriation to support the Shelter Island History Museum. The Board approved the consent agenda listing these propositions by unanimous vote.
The hearing included questions from community members about the real-world effects of a failed budget and what would be cut. Superintendent Doelger told the audience that non-program spending has already been trimmed and that further reductions would require programmatic cuts. The Board completed its presentation and closed the hearing at 6:24 pm.
