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Eden Central School District outlines $1.5M budget gap, proposes $1.35M in reserve use
Summary
District budget presenters said contractual salary increases, higher tuition for special-education placements and rising insurance and utility costs are driving an estimated budget gap (about $1.5M under a 2% levy scenario). Officials proposed using roughly $1.35M of reserves and continuing discussion at a March budget workshop.
Budget staff opened "budget session number 3," telling the board the presentation would focus on expenditure trends and the districts options to close a projected budget gap for 2026–27. The presenter said the salary line reflects contractual increases and "breakage" from retirements, contributing to roughly a $328,000 year-to-year increase in salaries.
The presentation called out several specific cost pressures: an anticipated $176,000 rise in tuition for students in out-of-district special-education placements; a roughly $227,000 increase in contractual costs (including property insurance and higher utility estimates), and a roughly $263,000 rise in benefits largely tied to a projected health insurance increase. The presenter said some savings are expected from a reduced required contribution to the Teacher Retirement System.
Board members asked whether "breakage" reflected attrition only or included replacement hires; the presenter said the current projection "includes replacing each of the retirees," and urged the board to consider replacement strategy as they finalize the budget. On revenue, the presenter said foundation aid tied to the governors executive proposal would yield about a $95,000 increase and that overall state aid is effectively flat when accounting for debt falling off.
The presenter said the district anticipates using roughly $1.35 million in reserves (about $1.9 million when including planned bus purchases paid from a capital reserve) to help close the gap, and outlined next steps: a deeper levy discussion at a budget workshop and a review of which propositions to put to voters. The board scheduled a follow-up budget workshop for March 23 to drill into levy choices and reserve use.
"So about a $50,000 increase...this is really related to our property insurance pay, premiums," the presenter said, summarizing some contractual drivers behind the projected shortfall.
The board did not adopt final levy figures at the meeting; members directed staff to return with more detail at the next budget workshop.
