Marcellus Board of Education adopts 2014-15 budget proposal

The Marcellus Board of Education voted unanimously April 9 to adopt a $31,605,814 budget proposal for 2014-15 that increases spending 3.94 percent and carries a 2.37 percent property tax increase.

The fiscal plan includes no program reductions, adds several teaching positions and enriches student services and supplies. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for May 12, and district residents will vote on the proposal May 20.

“This spending plan includes enhancements for our instructional programming while using a measured amount of reserves to help close the budget gap and keep the local property tax levy within the district’s calculated limit,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Craig J. Tice.

Residents on May 20 also will elect two members to the Board of Education and decide on a second budget proposition, to replace four school buses at a cost of $376,247. The district is eligible to receive 76.1 percent of the cost of the vehicles in aid reimbursement from the state, according to district Business Administrator Anthony Sonnacchio.

Marcellus will pay for its expenses, which increased most in the areas of teacher retirement costs (11 percent) and BOCES services (24 percent), in part with a proposed tax levy of $17,776,775, which is an increase of $411,514 or 2.37 percent over 2013-14.

Rather than raise local property taxes above the district’s calculated tax levy limit of 2.37, district administrators and board members are proposing to use $983,336 in reserve funds – about one-fifth of the district’s fund balance – to help fill the gap between projected revenues and expenses in 2014-15.

“This use of reserves, coupled with more than $12 million in state aid, will allow the district to add instructional supplies and positions that focus on the children,” Dr. Tice said.

After months of deliberation, administrators and the Board of Education drafted a plan that:

• cuts one full-time equivalent Career Technical Education teaching position (due to declining enrollment in the subject area);
• adds a full-time, districtwide computer technician position; a 0.6 FTE limited English proficiency teacher position (that had previously been funded by grant money); a 1.0 FTE math support teacher at K.C. Heffernan Elementary School; a 0.4 FTE library media specialist at Driver Middle School, which restores the DMS librarian position to full time after a reduction two years ago); a 0.5 FTE art teacher at the high school; a 0.5 FTE Spanish teacher at the high school; a 0.4 FTE math support teacher at DMS; and a 0.5 FTE psychologist position at KCH;
• increases funding for fine art supplies and academic intervention materials districtwide; science kits and engineering curriculum at DMS; academic support software at KCH; and BOCES student support services. 

“These staffing changes will allow us to continue to improve the support services available to our students, especially the additions of a psychologist and instructional support positions,” Dr. Tice said. “At the same time, the budget includes adjustments that are based on declining enrollment in some areas (business) and increased student interest in others (art and Spanish).”