The Little Falls City School District Board of Education held the second of its public hearings on the proposed 2008-09 budget Thursday, and unlike the previous hearing where no members of the public were in attendance, the commissioners fielded questions from four potential voters.
The $19,497,496 budget will go before the public for district-wide approval on Tuesday, May 20, and represents an expenditure increase of 5.51 percent and a tax levy increase of 2.9 percent from the current year.
“One of the things that I am most proud of, and that I am sure the commissioners are proud of, is that this budget maintains the current educational program we have in place,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. William Gokey. “This budget also maintains all of the extracurricular activities that we offer students, which is important, as I believe, and so does the board, that they are a vital part of a good school system.”
Gokey added that the board of education could have chosen to add programs, but felt it was unwise due to the status of the economy.
“To add programs now could be a mistake, in that they could just as easily be cut next year if the economy continues on its downward trend,” he said. “What this budget does add is additional money for supplies, as we have held the line in this area for the past 10 years, and now we are at a place and time where we have to increase that line item to equal it out. This proposed budget also continues our technology program, which includes the purchase of 61 desktop computers, 21 Smart Boards and additional mobile computer labs.”
When asked about the contingent budget, which would be put in place should the proposed budget be defeated after two public votes, Gokey said it would necessitate the elimination of $479,650, the majority of which would come from extracurricular activities and athletics.
“We are not targeting these areas by any means, however, when it comes to adopting a contingent budget and cutting almost $500,000 from the budget, these are the only two areas where we can look that will not dramatically gut the educational program,” said Gokey. “When it comes down to it we are here to educate students, and to cut almost a half million dollars from the educational side of the budget would hamper our ability to teach our students properly. Sadly, extracurricular activities and athletics are the only places where that kind of savings could be found.”
Specifically, the superintendent said the $479,650 would represent a $17,000 cut from extracurricular activities, a $237,000 cut from athletics, the elimination of the K-12 assistant administrator position, which has an estimated salary of $72,000, with benefits included, the elimination of three teaching positions, which with an estimated salary and benefits package of $45,000 each would save $135,000, and the elimination of a data specialist position, provided for through the Regional Information Center, at a savings of $18,000.
When asked how the fast rising cost of fuel would impact the budget, District Business Manager Clete McLaughlin said there are measures the district can take. “We can look at consolidating runs and utilizing our buses in such a way that we get the most out of them,” he said. “We also put some extra money in the budget for the unknown, as we do not know how high the gas prices are going to go, and when they will level off.”
As for natural gas and electricity, McLaughlin said the city school district participates in consortium of some 300 school districts across the state, which helps keep their utility costs down. “Our natural gas contract is currently locked in at a price we agreed upon a year ago,” said McLaughlin. “The contract lasts for three years, so until that time we should be in good shape in that regard. As for electricity, we participate in a consortium with the 11 other districts that make up the Herkimer County BOCES, and because of that association we also have a locked in price.”
As for costs outside of the district’s control, Gokey said in the past five years the district has seen its pension costs increase by 281.1 percent, its special education costs increase by 31 percent, its operations and maintenance budget increase by 21.5 percent, mainly due to the cost of fuel, its transportation budget increase by 31 percent, mainly due to the cost of fuel, and its health insurance costs increase by 51 percent.
“We have tried some things to keep some of these costs in check, however, many of them are outside our control and are mandated to us by the state,” the superintendent said. “Often times we are caught in the middle between the state and the taxpayers. The state tells us that we have to have these programs to operate, while the taxpayers tells us that they can not afford to pay for these programs.”
“When we began to work on this budget, as we try to do with all of our budgets, we took the approach that we wanted to be as fiscally responsible as possible to the taxpayers and the public,” said board of education Vice President Dan Casler. “I feel that we have achieved that goal with this budget, and hopefully the public will come out and vote in favor of it on May 20.”
The polls for the annual school district election and budget vote will be open from noon-9 p.m. in the middle school gymnasium.