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Board hears deep dive on 2026–27 expenditures, reserves and a $1.5M budget gap
Summary
Staff presented a detailed expenditure review showing salary increases driven by contractual raises and retirements, rising tuition and benefits costs, and proposed use of roughly $1.35M–$1.9M in reserves as the board discusses tax-levy options ahead of April and May budget meetings.
District staff led "Budget session number 3" outlining expenditure trends for the 2026–27 budget year and explained why reserves and tax-levy choices are under consideration.
The presentation said salaries will rise year-to-year largely because of contractual increases and replacement of retiring staff, producing about a $328,000 increase; tuition for students placed outside the district (special education) is projected to increase by about $176,000; BOCES-related costs were cited at roughly $600,000 higher year-to-year, about $500,000 of which relates to tuition payments; benefits were estimated to increase about $263,000 driven in part by higher health-insurance premiums. The presenter also noted a reduction in the teacher retirement system (TRS) employer contribution that offsets some increases, and a roughly $1.1 million decrease in debt obligations compared with the prior year.
Staff said the district anticipates using reserves to close part of the gap: the presentation described an anticipated use of about $1,350,000 within a broader $1.9 million reserve draw that includes capital reserve-related items (bus purchases are a separate proposition). The presenter summarized a revenue side review that showed an approximate $95,000 increase in foundation aid per the governor's executive proposal but an overall projected local revenue decrease of about $800,000 when timing and one-time building aid are considered. Board members asked for clarification on which reserves are already committed to capital phases (staff said about $3.65 million of a $5.9 million capital reserve is currently earmarked for the current capital project), and discussed next steps — including a deeper tax-levy conversation at a budget workshop next week and the formal budget adoption in April.
"So overall, we are anticipating to use about 1.9 ish million of our reserves," the presenter said during the review.
