Voters to decide on $20,277,789 budget May 21

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1 school budget vote: May 21 Noon-9 p.m. in HS gym lobby Budget Newsletter May 2013 Page 2 Co-Valedictorians and Salutatorian named Pages 3-4 Budget Q&A Pages 5 Projected revenues Projected expenditures Page 6 Also on the Ballot Page 7 State Budget Notice Page 8 Voter Information What will I see on the May 21 ballot? Proposed budget: $20,277,789 Budget Change: +0.63% Tax Levy Change: +3.92% Select two candidates for the Board of Education Special Bus Proposition Voting will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, in the Middleburgh High School gym lobby. Voters to decide on $20,277,789 budget May 21 Proposed budget represents a 0.63 percent spending increase; $315,000 in reductions M iddleburgh Central School District residents will vote on a proposed $20,277,789 budget for the school year on Tuesday, May 21. The proposed budget, which preserves all existing student programming, increases spending by 0.63 percent, or $127,308, from the current school year and carries a tax levy increase of 3.92 percent, or $344,356. Because the proposed tax levy is at the district s maximum allowable limit increase under the state s tax cap law, support of a simple majority (50 percent plus one) is required for the budget to be approved. Closing the Gap When the budget development process began, MSC administrators faced a projected budget gap of approximately $1.5 million due to increasing contractual and operational expenses and continued decline in state and federal aid. The proposed budget closes that gap through the allocation of $1 million of the district s fund balance, $200,000 in budget-to-budget savings and $315,000 in reductions. It s unfortunate that continued reductions in aid, increases in mandates, and difficult economic times have forced the district to make some extremely difficult decisions, Superintendent Michele Weaver said. The guiding mission during this process has been to weigh the potential impact on students and programming with any possible reduction or elimination. Ultimately, we were able to bridge the budget gap without eliminating student programming. Staffing reductions in the proposed budget include a total of 3.4 full-time equivalent (FTE) instructional positions: 1.6 FTE through elimination and 1.8 FTE through reductions (see page 3 for more information on positions effected). The district was also able to realize additional savings from the differential salary and benefits between a retiring employee and a new hire for a special education position. Additional cuts in the budget were made in extracurricular activities, field trips and athletics. The board was able make those reductions without fully eliminating a specific club or sport. Continued on page 4 Eleven MCS eighth and ninth grade students and three teachers spent spring break at Casa Xelaju, a Spanish language immersion school in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

2 2page Middleburgh central school district MCS names Class of 2013 Co-Valedictorians and Salutatorian Congratulations to the Class of 2013 MCS Co- Valedictorians Khrystyna Tsunyak and Nathaniel Wilkins and Salutatorian Alicia Jones. Khrystyna Tsunyak, Co-Valedictorian of the Class of 2013, is the daughter of Yury and Mariana Tsunyak of Preston Hollow. Khrystyna transferred from Preston High School to start her sophomore year at Middleburgh Central School District. Khrystyna will graduate with an Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors. As she completes her senior year, Khrystyna will have earned college credits in Spanish, U.S. History, and Government, and Advanced Placement credit in Environmental Science. Outside of school, Khrystyna has been enrolled in Advanced Placement Macroeconomics, Literature and Composition, and Psychology through Apex Learning. Khrystyna travels to New York City several mornings a week to take pre-championship level competitive ballroom dance lessons. She is president of the Envirothon Club and is a member of the Onistagrawan Chapter of the National Honor Society and SADD Khrystyna Tsunyak club. She attends Heartspace Yoga and Healing Arts and attended a literary seminar as part of a pre-college program at Barnard College. Khrystyna received the National Latin Exam: Gold Medal and Summa Cum Laude in ninth grade, the Wells College 21st Century Leadership Award, the DAR Good Citizen Award, the NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence and honorable mention for her photography portfolio at the 2013 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. During the summer, Khrystyna travels to her homeland, Ukraine, and volunteers her time as an ESL tutor to elementary and middle school students. She also volunteers as a translator at a tourism and information center. This fall, Khrystyna will major in International Studies at Macaulay College at CUNY. Nathaniel Wilkins, Co-Valedictorian of the Class of 2013, is the son of Jason and Gail Wilkins of West Fulton. Nathaniel will earn an Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors and college credit in the areas of math and social studies. Nathaniel will also have completed Advanced Placement courses in Language and Composition, Environmental Science and Psychology. During his junior year, Nathaniel attended the American Legion Boys State. Nathaniel is a member of the SADD club, Interact, Student Congress and is a member of the Onistagrawan Chapter of the National Honor Society. Nathaniel is also a member, co-founder and president of the Film Club. Throughout high school, Nathaniel has been a member of the varsity Nathaniel Wilkins tennis team, receiving the Most Improved Player Award in tenth grade. He has worked for The Youth Commission, teaching tennis in the summer, and volunteered with the MCS Round Table. For the last two years, he has been a porter for the Schoharie Antique Show. Nathaniel will study Political Science at either Syracuse University or Fordham University. Alicia Jones is the Salutatorian of the Class of Alicia is the daughter of Carl and Hope Jones of Middleburgh. Alicia will be graduating with an Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors. Alicia has taken collegelevel courses in the areas of math, foreign language and history, and Alicia Jones has taken Advanced Placement courses in Environmental Science, Language and Composition, Economics and Psychology. Alicia was also the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science, as well as the DAR Award. Alicia has been a member of the Interact Club since ninth grade and was vice president her junior year. She is a member of SADD, the Trivial Pursuit Club and Student Congress. She is also a member of the Onistagrawan Chapter of the National Honor Society. Alicia has participated in the Purple Pinkie Project, raised donations for SCCAP and participated in fundraising for UNICEF and the American Cancer Society. She has also been employed by Price Chopper as a cashier since 2011, working more than 20 hours a week. In the fall, Alicia plans to major in Pre-Optometry at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

3 3page Budget Newsletter - May 2013 Budget Q&A Q: How was the proposed school budget developed? A: The process began by creating a rollover budget that assumes the district will keep all existing programming and staff and includes any known increases in salaries and pensions, and projections for items such as energy costs and health insurance premiums for the next year. Once state aid is factored in and the tax levy limit calculated, the budget gap is determined. The district administrative team then began a line-by-line review of the current budget to identify possible areas of reduction or elimination. This review, coupled with feedback received from district residents at community forums and board meetings, as well as district surveys, helped shape the final budget proposal. Officials aimed to address current economic challenges while still maintaining a quality education for students. Q: In what areas of the budget is spending increasing? A: The increase in the district s expenses is driven by contractual obligations, such as health care premium increases, and mandates such as increases in contributions to state employee retirement systems. Middleburgh Fire Department, with the help of their volunteers, spent a week teaching the MCS elementary students about fire safety. of a physical education position, a 0.4 FTE reduction of a literacy/ reading specialist position, and a combined 1 FTE reduction in teacher assistant positions. Additional reductions include $16,750 in extracurricular activities, $8,000 in field trips, and $15,000 in athletics. Q: Why can t we save money by having one county-wide superintendent? A: While a shared superintendent is allowable in certain instances, educational law 1527-c (2012) would prohibit all districts in Schoharie County from sharing a single superintendent. Q: Why aren t we cutting administration? Q: I thought there was a 2 percent tax cap. How can the proposed tax levy increase be 3.92 percent? A: Although the law has been referred to as a 2 percent tax cap, it actually does not restrict any proposed tax levy increase. What it does is establish a threshold (calculated according to a formula dictated by the law) that determines the level of voter support needed to pass a budget. This threshold varies by district. Since MCS s calculated allowable tax levy limit for 2013 is a 3.92 percent increase, a simple majority (50 percent plus one vote) is needed to approve the budget. Note: The legislation applies to the district s tax levy, not to tax rates or individual tax bills. Q: What would a 3.92 percent levy increase mean for my tax bill? A: With the mandated Common Core Learning Standards and Annual Professional Performance A: School districts establish the Q: What reductions are Review teacher evaluations, the tax levy but cannot determine what included in the proposed responsibilities of principals have portion of the tax burden is placed budget? increased significantly and further on any one property owner. A. The proposed budget reductions are not feasible at this What will happen to individual tax includes the elimination of a full-time time. On the district level, MCS has bills is determined by the tax rate, elementary teaching position and a 0.6 FTE ELA position (a retirement). It also includes a 0.4 FTE reduction one superintendent of schools and shares a part-time business manager with Cobleskill-Richmondville. which cannot be predicted until continued on page 4

4 4page Middleburgh central school district Budget Q&A continued from page 3 a number of factors outside the control of the district are determined later in the year, such as equalization rates, assessments and STAR exemptions. Q. How will STAR affect my school taxes? A. New York State s School Tax Relief (STAR) Program provides property tax exemptions for New York homeowners. Basic STAR is Budget Continued from page 1 Looking toward the future As state aid continues to decrease and the district s fund balance dwindles, district officials and the board of education are continuing to examine ways to decrease expenses, increase efficiency and retain student opportunities. MCS uses many BOCES and intermunicipal shared services to realize savings. Currently the district shares a business staff with Cobleskill- Richmondville, a food service manager with Schoharie, a technology department head with Berne-Knox- Westerlo, and is in energy and transportation consortiums through BOCES. When possible, the district also uses BOCES services, which are aid-able by the state, meaning the district will receive a portion of what it spends on BOCES services back as part of the next year s state aid package. The district is also actively researching and applying for grants and has been awarded $104,243 through a two-year Strengthening Teacher and Leader Effectiveness grant, which pays for master teachers, mentors and a percentage of the middle school principal s salary. available for owner-occupied, primary residences where the owners total income is less than $500,000, and exempts the first $30,000 of the full value of a home from school taxes. Enhanced STAR is available to senior homeowners whose incomes do not exceed $79,050. Enhanced STAR exempts the first $63,300 of the full value of a home from school taxes. Applications must be filed with your town assessor s office and enhanced STAR exemptions must be renewed annually. MCS sophomores Emerald Power, Stacie Peraldo, and Brittany Bodmer were awarded certificates of excellence for their contribution to the Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series on Race and Nonviolent Social Change. In addition, the district will continue advocacy efforts for equitable and sufficient state funding. MCS received nearly $1.3 million less in state aid for than in and has lost nearly $3.7 million as a result of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which takes back aid from school districts in order to close the state s budget gap. Visit the advocacy section on the district s website to see how to help with these efforts. Change is needed in order for public schools like MCS to continue not only to survive but to thrive, Weaver said. We owe it to our students to explore all avenues of savings and advocacy to ensure that happens. Middleburgh Central School is more than just a district; it s part of the community Did you know that many outside organizations use MCS facilities each year? Here is a list of just some of the community organizations that also call MCS home: The All-Star Music Competition for Schoharie County girl Scout Troops #2459, 2166, 2202, and 2611 Boy Scouts - Pine Wood Derby AAU-Magic Basketball Timothy Murphy Playhouse Schoharie Valley Hayshakers Middleburgh Little League Golden Age - Vintage Vaudeville Schoharie Valley Concert Band Middleburgh Fire Department - Open Gym Rotary Club Fall Festival Knights of Columbus Arts & Craft Festival Sloughter 5K Town-wide garage sales youth Commission - Summer Band Concerts, Arts & Crafts, Open Gym, Tennis Program 300th Anniversary Celebration, parade and fireworks Town Board Public Information Meeting Village of Middleburgh Public Meeting Bassett School Based Health Center Red Cross Blood Drives Renaissance Dance Recital DON T FORGET TO VOTE School budget vote day is Tuesday, May 21 from noon to 9 p.m. in the HS gym lobby

5 5page projected revenues $ Change Adopted Proposed From Prior Budget Budget School Year Local sources (1.68% of total) Real property tax items $27,000 $27,000 $0 Charges for services 0 103, ,000 Interest earnings 26,759 5,000 (21,759) Use of property 0 1,000 1,000 Refund of prior year expense 114, ,000 (14,912) Other revenue 117, ,000 (13,000) Subtotal $285,671 $340,000 $54,329 State sources (47.37% of total) Foundation aid $7,266,707 $7,173,933 $(92,774) BOCES aid 498, ,548 (48,080) Building aid 1,527,231 1,516,180 (11,051) Textbook/software/library aid 68,050 65,940 (2,110) Computer hardware/tech. aid 12,524 11,617 (907) Transportation aid 1,373, ,510 (392,969) Excess cost aid 124,258 92,536 (31,722) Gap Elimination Adjustment (1,085,803) (1,085,803) 0 Restoration of GEA 0 400, ,231 Subtotal $9,785,074 $9,605,692 $(179,382) Other sources (5.96% of total) District reserves $200,000 $0 $(200,000) Appropriated fund balance 1,100,000 1,208, ,005 Subtotal $1,300,000 $1,208,005 $(91,995) School tax levy (44.99% of total) $8,779,736 $9,124,092 $344,356 TOTAL $20,150,481 $20,277,789 $127,308 Revenues School tax levy 44.99% State Aid 47.37% Expenditures Instruction 43.95% Benefits & Debt Service 41.13% Budget Newsletter - May projected expenditures $ Change Adopted Proposed From Prior Budget Budget School Year General support (9.43% of proposed budget) Board of Education $51,333 $51,776 $443 Central Administration 177, ,767 3,416 Finance 284, ,020 (34,728) Support Services 81,219 85,310 4,091 Central Services 1,415,653 1,185,860 (229,793) Special Items 154, ,904 4,812 Subtotal $2,164,396 $1,912,637 ($251,759) Instruction (43.95% of proposed budget) Administration & Curriculum Development $490,524 $497,351 $6,827 Teaching Regular 5,138,681 4,986,927 (151,754) Teaching Special Programs 2,309,670 2,281,497 (28,173) Instructional Media 391, , ,640 Pupil Personnel Services 706, ,381 (103,370) Subtotal $9,037,425 $8,911,595 $(125,830) Transportation (5.49% of proposed budget) $1,270,837 $1,113,922 $(156,915) Benefits and debt service (41.13% of proposed budget) Employee Benefits $5,847,191 $6,525, ,208 Debt Service & Interfund Transfers 1,726,857 1,761,392 34,535 Bus Payments & Other Borrowing 54,875 52,844 (2,031) Subtotal $7,628,923 $8,339,635 $710,712 Other sources (0.00% of proposed budget) Transfer to School Lunch $48,900 $0 $(48,900) TOTAL $20,150,481 $20,277,789 $127, three part budget School districts are required to present their budgets in three component parts. For Middleburgh Central School District, they are as follows: $ change Administrative $1,223,421 $1,201,609 $(21,812) Program 15,747,675 16,095, ,408 Other 5.96% Local 1.68% Transportation 5.49% General Support 9.43% Capital 3,179,385 2,981,097 (198,288)

6 6page Middleburgh central school district Board of Education election On May 21, voters will elect two candidates to the Board of Education to fill the expiring terms of Donald Wood and Michael Fisher. Each term is three years, commencing with the reorganization meeting in July. Details of the three candidates running for the seats are below; more information is available online at Michael L. Fisher IV, of Middleburgh, is a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service and a part-time mason contractor. He is a 1973 graduate of MCS and a 1976 graduate of SUNY Delhi, where he earned an associate s degree in construction technology and engineering. He has been a MCS Board of Education member since 2011 and is currently completing his first term. He is also a Middleburgh Little League board member (former vice president) and coach; curator of the Armlin Hill Cemetery; and a member of the Town of Fulton Historical Society. He also ran the Schoharie Valley Softball League for about 20 years. Donald K. Wood, of Middleburgh (Town of Broome), has been a press operator of Hannay Reels for the past 16 years. He graduated from MCS in He has served as a MCS Board of Education member for the past nine years and is currently completing his third consecutive term on the board. He has served on the Town of Broome Assessment Review committee for the past five years and is a current member of MCS Transportation Committee and Facility and Grounds Committee. He has also volunteered time and donated materials to Eagle Scout projects. Michael A. Parker, of Middleburgh (Town of Broome), is the highway superintendent for the Town of Broome and a 1975 graduate of MCS. He is a member of the NYS Highway Superintendents Association, Schoharie County Highway Superintendents Association and NYS Magistrates Association. He also serves as the Town of Broome s representative to the Joint Youth Commission of Middleburgh and is the former treasurer of the Huntersland Volunteer Fire Department. He is running for his first term. Mark your calendar May 21: School budget vote day, noon- 9 p.m. HS gym lobby; ES Science Fair, 5 p.m. gym; MS Festival of Arts and Education, 7 p.m., auditorium. May 28: HS Festival of Arts and Education, 7 p.m., auditorium June 5: Grade 5 to 6 Transition Night, 6:30 p.m., auditorium June 6: Elementary Festival of Arts and Education, 5 p.m. June 8: Technopalooza, noon-5 p.m. June 13: Grade 8 Celebration, 6:30 p.m., auditorium June 14: Senior Awards, 7 p.m. June 19: Kindergarten Celebration, 9 a.m., ES gym June 20: Grade 5 Graduation, 9:30 a.m., ES gym June 21: Graduation, 7 p.m. Special Bus Proposition In addition to voting on the proposed budget on May 21, residents will also decide on a special proposition to purchase two school buses one 65-passenger bus and one wheelchair accessible, 24-passanger bus at a total cost of $163,000. The financing of the buses would be paid through property taxes beginning in and would be collected in annual installments for five years. The buses would have an average annual cost of $9,000 after state aid reimbursement of 75.2 percent on both principal and interest expenses. The estimated cost for taxpayers for the first year would be $0.27 per $1,000 of assessed property value, and then $0.03 per $1,000 each year thereafter. While all the vehicles in the 32-bus fleet meet safety standards, it is more economical for the district and district taxpayers to replace a portion of the fleet every year than to incur the cost of major repairs for older vehicles. The transportation department aims to maintain a 10-year trade-in cycle, because after a decade on the road, the maintenance required to keep older buses operating becomes cost-prohibitive. The district has not made a bus purchase since The MCS transportation department received a 100 percent pass rate for its buses and commendation by the New York State Department of Transportation for its DOT School Bus Inspection Profile Year April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.

7 Budget Newsletter - May 2013 Middleburgh Central School District Budget Notice Overall Budget Proposal Budget Adopted for the Budget Proposed for the Contingency Budget for School Year School Year the School Year Total Budgeted Amount, Not including Separate Propositions $20,150,481 $20,277,789 $19,933,433 Increase/Decrease for the School Year $127,308 $(217,048) Percentage Increase/Decrease in Proposed Budget 0.63% (1.07)% Change in the Consumer Price Index 2.1% Total Proposed School Year Tax Levy, Not including Levy to Support Library Debt, if applicable $8,779,736 $9,124,092 $8,779,736 Total Permissible Exclusions $200,848 $423,352 A. Proposed School Year Tax Levy, Not Including Levy for Permissible Exclusions or Levy to Support Library Debt $8,578,888 $8,700,740 B. School Tax Levy Limit, Not Including Levy for Permissible Exclusions $8,582,671 $8,700,740 Difference: A - B (Positive Value Requires 60.0% Voter Approval See Note Below Regarding Separate Propositions) $-3,783 $0 Administrative Component $1,223,421 $1,201,609 $1,190,609 Program Component $15,747,675 $16,095,083 $15,776,727 Capital Component $3,179,385 $2,981,097 $2,966,097 List Separate Propositions that are not included in the Total Budgeted Amount: (Tax Levy associated with propositions not eligible for exclusion may affect property tax levy limit and voter approval requirements) Description Bus Proposition Amount $163,000 Under the Budget Proposed for the School Year Estimated Basic STAR Exemption Savings 1 $557 1 The basic school tax relief (STAR) exemption is authorized by section 425 of the Real Property Tax Law. *Provide a statement of assumptions made in projecting a contingency budget for the school year, should the proposed budget be defeated pursuant to Section 2023 of the Education Law. If voters do not approve the proposed budget within two tries, the board must adopt a contingency budget, which limits the property tax levy increase to zero percent, with no exclusions. As a result, the board would be required to reduce the budget by $344,356 to $19,933,433. In addition to these reductions, outside groups would not be able to use the school facilities without paying a usage fee, and the district would be unable to make equipment purchases or capital reserve transfers. The annual budget vote for the fiscal year by the qualified voters of the Middleburgh Central School District, Schoharie County, New York, will be held in the lobby of the Middleburgh High School Gymnasium in said district on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, between the hours of 12 p.m. and 9 p.m., prevailing time, at which time the polls will be open to vote by machine. Absentee ballots are available and must be received by the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. on the day of the vote (see page 8). School districts are required by New York State law to mail this information to all households within the district. If you would like more information about the budget, please call the superintendent s office at or visit the district website at 7 page

8 BOARD of EDUCATION Kimberly Smith, President Donald Wood, Vice President Michael Fisher IV Pamela Standhart Becky Binder DISTRICT OFFICIALS Superintendent of Schools Michele R. Weaver Business Administrator Terry Gillooley School Administrators Amy Lennon Elementary School Lori Petrosino High School Michael Teator Middle School Maura Green DPPS Middleburgh Main Street Middleburgh, NY central school district POSTAL PATRON Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Middleburgh, NY Permit No. 9 Contact Phone: (518) Produced in cooperation with the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service. Voter Information Who is eligible to vote? Anyone who is a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age, and a resident of the Middleburgh School District for at least 30 days prior to the vote is eligible. What should I bring with me on May 21? Personal identification/proof of residency is required (e.g., driver s license with current address or utility bill showing your name and current address). Can I vote by using an absentee ballot? Qualified district residents who are unable to go to the polls on May 21 can cast their votes by absentee ballot. For an application, stop in at the district clerk s office, located in the high school, or call District Clerk Deborah Manning at If the ballot is to be mailed, the application for the ballot must be received by May 14. If the ballot is to be delivered in person, the application must be received by May 20. All completed ballots must be received by the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. on May 21. What if I have questions? For further information, please call or or visit What if the budget doesn t pass? School boards across New York will put budget proposals up for a vote on May 21. If the budget is defeated, a school board has three options: put the same budget up for a second vote on June 18, put a revised budget up for a vote on June 18, adopt a contingent budget with a zero-percent tax levy increase. If a second budget vote is defeated, then the district must adopt a contingent budget. Under the state tax levy legislation, when a district adopts a contingent budget, the tax levy limit cannot be increased for any reason; it is set at zero percent. There are no exemptions allowed under a contingent budget. For Middleburgh Central School District, adopting a contingent budget for would mean reducing the proposed budget by another $344,356. In addition to these reductions, outside groups would not be able to use the school facilities without paying a usage fee, and the district would be unable to make equipment purchases or capital reserve transfers. The board has already identified $315,000 in budget reductions to achieve the proposed budget; a contingent budget would bring the total amount of necessary reductions to nearly $660,000.