Superintendent's Notes - Bethlehem CSD, Delmar, NY

This past Wednesday, March 3, 2010, the Board of Education began its budget work sessions, and it's safe to say that we are at the beginning of a long month of scrutiny, review and difficult decisions. As many of you have heard from my previous updates, we will face a significant gap next year between projected revenues and anticipated expenses.

Some people have asked what accounts for such a gap. First, school costs, like many that you experience in your own lives and family budgets, continue to increase every year. These items range from the cost of materials, supplies and other resources, health insurance, retirement system contributions, and contractual salary increases. To run the same program and services currently in the district, at next year's costs, would cost the district about $3 million more. When it comes to the budget gap, this increase is exacerbated by a projected 12 percent loss of state aid under the Governor's proposal, bringing us to where we are today.

Our task - just like any other year, is to close this gap and operate under a balanced budget. To do so with taxes alone would require a tax levy increase of about 7.3 percent — something a community hard hit by recession and already calling for tax restraint would likely have a hard time supporting at the polls in May. So, while some level of a tax increase is expected, the shortfall will also need to be addressed by the budget reductions the Board will be reviewing at workshops on Wednesdays in March.

Over the next few weeks, there will be a number of items proposed for reductions that the BOE will decide on. In terms of personnel, the following positions are included in the proposed reductions: 14.0 FTE teachers; 10.6 FTE support staff; and 1.0 administrator. Also included will be clubs, athletics, transportation, operations and maintenance, special education, and more remediation programs. These are painful cuts that affect students and the community. I have also told the faculty and staff that I recognize how it affects all of them — and not just in terms of jobs, but also in the levels of service that they rightly take pride in providing to our students every day.

On Wednesday, March 3 the BOE tentatively approved the following reductions: 2.0 FTE custodians, reducing the energy manager position and the BOCES safety specialist, eliminating field trips, late buses on M&F, and reduction of supplies and equipment for transportation and OM. For next week: the BOE will be focusing on technology (proposed cuts are some of the replacement funds and a tech aide) and special education (a teacher, two occupational therapists, and support services for speech are proposed to be reduced. The Board will also be looking at facilities use fees and BOCES programs.

I will continue to keep you informed.

All meetings are open to the community and they begin at 7:00pm, Ed. Ctr. Information, reduction lists, and video of Board of Education meetings can be found on the district's site, primarily in the budget section.

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