BUDGET PROPOSAL 2018-2019 Propositions Proposition 1 School Budget Proposition 2 Bus Purchase Proposition 3 Capital Reserve Fund Proposition 4 Hoag Library School Board Member Election Two Vacant Seats - Five Year Terms You may select up to two candidates (Page 9) BUDGET HEARING Tuesday, May 8 @ 7:00 p.m. High School L.G.I. Parking: Use the gym entrance located behind the high school. BUDGET VOTE Tuesday, May 15 12 noon - 8:00 p.m. Elementary School Conference Room A Parking: Use the community entrance near the football stadium, behind the district offices.
To The Community FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT Dear Fellow Resident: On behalf of the Board of Education I am pleased to present to you the proposed 2018-2019 school year budget. The School District budget, two school propositions, and two board seats will be voted on Tuesday, May 15 from 12:00 noon-8:00 p.m. in conference room A at the Elementary School. The 2018-2019 proposed budget maintains all of our current programs, expands our funding for computer technology, and includes a slight decrease to our tax levy. Computer technology continues to change and to provide important support to our instructional program. This budget includes funds for a computer technology position and additional funds for purchases. The additional position and purchases will build upon our existing program including our recently completed campus wireless network. The 2018-2019 budget was developed with the goal of continuing to provide a child-focused, wellrounded educational program for students that our community can support. We have continued right-sizing the district, adjusting staffing levels to reflect our declining student population. This budget continues our tradition of a fiscally conservative and sound financial budget. Details of the budget are provided throughout this document. Voters will also be asked to select two members of the Board of Education and to consider a proposition that asks voters to authorize us to spend funds from our school bus purchase reserve account. This year we are seeking voter approval to create a capital reserve fund - a savings account to pay for the future repair needs of our buildings. We are incredibly proud of our school facilities and grateful for the investment our community has made in them. We know that it is our duty to maintain them so that they may serve future generations of students. There is more information about this fund in the Q and A section of this booklet. We invite you to join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 in the High School LGI for our public informational hearing on the proposed 2018-2019 budget. We thank you for your consideration and look forward to our continued collaboration in an effort to provide a high quality education for our students at a cost that our citizens can support. Margy Brown, Board of Education President VOTER QUALIFICATIONS 1. Be a citizen of the United States 2. Be eighteen (18) or more years of age 3. Be a resident in the District for thirty (30) days or more before the vote 4. Show proof of residence at the poll such as a printed document with name and physical address (not a P.O. Box) which may include driver s license, utility or other bill, etc. For information on absentee ballots, contact the District Office at 589-2055.
Propositions * Proposition 1 * SCHOOL BUDGET RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Albion Central School District of Orleans and Genesee Counties New York be authorized to expend the sum of thirty-five million, two hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred twenty-five dollars ($35,225,625) during the fiscal year 2018-19 and a general tax levied thereon. * Proposition 2 * BUS PURCHASE RESOLVED, that the Board of Education be authorized to appropriate an amount of four hundred ninety thousand dollars ($490,000) from the Albion Central School Bus Purchase Reserve Fund to purchase buses for the 2019-20 school year. * Proposition 3 * CAPITAL RESERVE FUND PROPOSITION Shall the proposition set forth in the notice of this meeting authorizing the establishment of a capital reserve fund to be designated "2020 Capital Reserve Fund", with an ultimate amount of seven million one hundred ninety-five thousand dollars ($7,195,000), a term of ten (10) years, and appropriation of available fund balance and other legally available funds to such Capital Reserve Fund, be approved? * Proposition 4 * HOAG LIBRARY Shall the following resolution be adopted, to-wit: RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of Albion Central School District of Orleans and Genesee Counties, New York, pursuant to the provisions of Section 259 of the Education Law of the State of New York, be authorized and empowered to raise an annual sum of seven hundred fourteen thousand, nine hundred twenty dollars ($714,920) for library purposes; that this amount be raised by tax levy during the school year for support of the maintenance and operations of the Hoag Library of the Swan Library Association; and that this sum be in addition to the funds raised to meet the estimated expenditures of the School District, in the form commonly known as the School District Budget.
Projected Revenues Projected Revenues REVENUES 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-2019 Real Property Tax Levy/STAR $8,355,939 $8,474,939 $8,449,094 Other Tax Items $162,770 $127,599 $125,885 Appropriated Fund Balance $625,709 $595,224 $540,171 Charges for Services $80,906 $78,852 $79,003 Use of Money and Property $52,880 $46,840 $44,920 Miscellaneous/BOCES Refund $30,004 $35,994 $36,118 State Aid $24,150,671 $25,004,530 $25,526,645 Interfund Transfers $432,111 $432,698 $423,789 TOTAL REVENUE $33,890,990 34,796,676 35,225,625 Other 2.0% STAR 5.1% Local Property Tax 18.9% Fund Balance 1.5% State Aid 72.5%
Proposed Expenditures Proposed Expenditures EXPENDITURES 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-2019 General Support Administration $2,737,511 $2,788,118 $2,841,469 Instruction Program $24,037,625 $24,848,258 $25,552,552 Transportation Program $1,929,964 $2,016,896 $1,961,895 Maintenance Capital $3,175,140 $3,154,104 $3,227,359 Debt Service Capital $2,010,750 $1,989,300 $1,642,350 TOTAL EXPENDITURES $33,890,990 $34,796,676 $35,225,625
General Support - Administration & Operations General Support represents 8.1 percent of the proposed budget. This category of the budget includes expenses for operation of the entire District including costs for District and Building administration, the mandated N.Y.S. Teacher Evaluation System, Board of Education expenses and curriculum development. Also in this category are appropriations for legal services, required financial audits, and BOCES administrative charges. Each school district in the BOCES region pays a proportional amount to maintain BOCES sponsored programs. General Support Administration/Operations 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-2019 Board Of Education $18,335 $19,335 $20,900 District Administration $192,644 $196,036 $205,048 Business Office $242,002 $241,685 $244,364 Auditing $29,354 $31,200 $34,450 Legal $46,810 $47,548 $48,275 Insurance $131,750 $134,466 $137,860 BOCES Administrative Charges $205,466 $205,610 $207,888 Data Processing $51,868 $51,621 $51,832 Personnel & Public Information $105,784 $116,021 $104,356 Central Printing and Mailing $89,080 $88,978 $87,785 Curriculum Development & Supervision $25,725 $32,180 $24,680 Regular School Supervision $926,451 $950,277 $965,358 Employee Benefits $672,242 $673,161 $708,673 TOTAL $2,737,511 $2,788,118 $2,841,469 Pictured: Athlete Lily Allison and buddy Alanna Holman celebrate Lily s five medals at the Games for the Physically Challenged Awards Assembly. In the fall the athletes and their buddy assistants participate in the Games at SUNY Brockport. The annual assembly is a school highlight for everyone! The Purple Eagle mascot and cheerleaders led cheers, the Elementary School chorus and Middle School band performed and the student athletes were congratulated by spectators, family and friends as they received their medals.
Instruction Program Instructional appropriations amount to 72.5 percent of the total proposed budget. All expenses directly related to the education of 1855 pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students are in this category. This section includes the costs associated with Advanced Placement courses, college credit courses offered through G.C.C., and vocational education through BOCES. The Community Schools Grant programs are included in this category. Students with specialized needs that require private school placements, costs for music and the arts, and a comprehensive athletic program are also included in this category. Instruction Program 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-19 Teaching Regular School $10,651,716 $10,882,387 $11,001,383 Special Needs Program $3,987,418 $4,268,425 $4,248,087 Library and Computer Assisted Instruction $1,196,804 $1,214,193 $1,328,637 Pupil Services $972,311 $1,034,679 $1,083,650 Co-curricular/Interscholastic Athletics $796,346 $817,024 $816,491 Community Service $56,320 $58,380 $77,880 Employee Benefits $6,376,710 $6,573,170 $6,996,424 TOTAL $24,037,625 $24,848,258 $25,552,552 Transportation Program Transportation accounts for 5.6 percent of the total budget. This includes transportation for over 490,000 miles of regular runs annually, the equivalent of 90 trips to San Francisco, California and back. Albion Central School buses are owned by the District and are managed contractually by Student Transportation of America. Bus maintenance and inspections are controlled by the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation under the strictest guidelines. Maintaining an updated fleet of buses has helped the District to control costs in this area. Transportation Program 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-2019 Fuel, Tires, Insurance $353,257 $348,774 $351,435 Garage Building $47,714 $46,854 $45,914 Contract Transportation $1,528,993 $1,621,268 $1,564,546 TOTAL $1,929,964 $2,016,896 $1,961,895
Debt Service Capital Debt service represents 4.7 percent of the budget. This category of the budget displays the principal and interest on bonded debt for past capital improvement projects completed in the elementary, middle and high schools. Debt Service Capital 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-2019 Bonds Principal $1,795,000 $1,830,000 $1,525,000 Bonds Interest $215,750 $159,300 $117,350 TOTAL $2,010,750 $1,989,300 $1,642,350 Maintenance Capital Maintenance represents 9.1 percent of the budget. The District s buildings are valued at over $82 million. A proactive replacement and maintenance schedule is in place and ensures the facilities remain in good condition. This category includes annual maintenance for the buildings and 85 acres of roads, parking lots and athletic fields. Major maintenance items included in this year s plan are painting, carpet replacement, health and safety updates, blacktop striping, stair tread replacement, auditorium stage lighting energy efficiency upgrade and bathroom fixture upgrades. Maintenance Capital 2016-2017 2017-2018 Proposed 2018-19 Maintenance/Custodial $1,481,346 $1,475,256 $ 1,498,485 Energy/Utilities $758,300 $727,521 $702,521 Major Maintenance $301,664 $294,935 $319,670 Employee Benefits $633,830 $656,392 $706,683 TOTAL $3,175,140 $3,154,104 $3,227,359 The Middle School spring musical Anne of Green Gables and the fall show Adventures of Junie B, as well as High School shows Godspell and Once Upon a Mattress, were popular with audiences. For the eleventh consecutive year, our music programs received the NAMM Best Communities for Music Education award!
Board of Education Candidates Please choose up to two of the candidates from page 9. Each will serve a term of 5 years beginning July 1, 2018. MARGY BROWN LINDA WELLER ELISSA A. NESBITT Residence: 1301 Oak Orchard River Rd, Waterport Family: Eric Brown, husband Children: Harrison and Jeffrey Education: Nazareth College & University of Buffalo Occupation: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Residence: 14754 Holley Road, Albion Family: Mitch Weller, husband Children: Michael, Rebecca, Jacob Education: Hilton High School Occupation: Business Owner Residence: 236 South Main Street, Albion Family: Chuck Nesbitt, husband Children: Jane and Benjamin Education: SUNY Oswego Occupation: Community Affairs and Citizenship Director, Xerox Corporation There are both challenges and opportunities facing our District today, and I believe one of the main challenges is the declining enrollment we are experiencing. This impacts all facets of our District, and will dictate what opportunities we are able to provide to our students. As we navigate our District forward, it s important not to lose sight of our mission Achievement, Character and Success for Life. Our focus remains helping each individual student reach their full potential with fiscally responsible policies. Thank you for your past support, and I w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e y o u r consideration of my candidacy for an additional term. I hope to continue to serve the district on the ACSD Board of Education. If reelected this would be my second term in supporting ACSD and the community it serves. Having e x c e p t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n a l opportunities, building on literacy and security in an environment which allows our students to reach their fullest potential and prepare them for their successful transition into college or the workforce is my goal. Having three children graduate from the district, I feel has allowed me to be a better board member and built a stronger community connection. I hope to continue my service to ACSD. Thank you. As a mother of a first-grader a n d a c h i l d e n t e r i n g kindergarten in 2019, I am committed to our community and our school district. If I am elected to the Board of Education, I will use my experience, knowledge and passion to make Albion Central School a special place where all students are given the tools for success. Our schools must be a place where our children can grow, learn and build a solid foundation for their future. I will fully embrace the challenge ahead as we work together to foster this environment for our children, our district and our community.
Questions and Answers PROPOSITION #1: Budget Vote We have tried to anticipate typical questions that you may have regarding the propositions submitted to you for your consideration. If our answers are not clear or you have questions that are not answered in this format, please feel free to contact the district office at 589-2056 and request to speak to the Superintendent. If we do not have the information you need, we will be sure to seek it and provide it to you. What is the proposed budget for 2018-2019? The proposed budget is $35,225,625. That s an increase of 1.23% over the 2017-2018 year. How will the proposed budget impact the tax levy? The tax levy is scheduled to decrease by $25,845 or 0.30%. A small increase in tax able property within the District means that the projected tax rate will decrease 0.32% from $15.52 to $15.47 per thousand of assessment. How does the state tax levy limit and the state 50% and 60% vote rule impact this budget? Because the proposed tax levy is below our District s tax levy limit, this budget requires a simple majority vote (50% + 1) to pass. What are the major changes in the budget? We have seen an increase in students taking BOCES career and technical education classes. We pay for each student to take these classes. We have increased our broadband capacity and are also providing additional personnel and purchases to support the use of computer technology in our classroom instruction. PROPOSITION #2: School Bus Purchase What impact does the bus purchase have on the budget and tax levy? If approved, the bus purchase proposition would have no impact on the budget or the tax levy. Approval of the bus proposition allows the District to purchase buses using the District Bus Reserve previously created and funded by voters during the 2019-2020 school year. PROPOSITION #3: Establishment of Capital Reserve Fund What is a capital reserve fund? It is a dedicated savings account, authorized by voters, to be used for future building repairs and improvements.
Questions and Answers PROPOSITION #3: Establishment of Capital Reserve Fund Continued... Why is the district asking us to establish the fund? We are asking to establish the fund to ensure that when repairs and improvements are needed, the local share (the portion that is not covered by state aid) of the cost of these items has been saved. Are voters approving repairs and improvements now? No, voters are merely being asked to establish a savings account. An additional vote, approximately four years from now, will seek approval to spend the funds on specific repairs and improvements. In addition to our on-going assessment of our facilities, state law directs a review of our physical plant every five years. The 2020 state mandated review and our list of needs will help determine possible facility improvements. How will the establishment of the fund impact the tax levy? The purpose of creating the fund is to set aside budget savings, so there is no impact on the tax levy when the project is approved by voters. PROPOSITION #4 Hoag Library Vote Does the Board of Education give money to the Hoag Library? The Board does not give District money to the Library or participate in the development of the Library budget. The District vote is merely the location of the Library vote and the District, as directed by law, collects the funds Library voters approve and turns those funds over to the Library. If I have questions about the Hoag Library budget, who do I ask? You may contact the Hoag Library directly at (585) 589-4246 with questions. Big Brother Program: Varsity players paired up with modified (grade 7 & 8) players in a new Big Brother program aimed at building athlete relationships. The varsity players helped players with homework and stressed the importance of good grades as well as promoting team building skills. The modified players attended varsity game warm-ups and varsity players attended modified games to encourage the young players on the field.
Tax Rate Projections Estimated Tax Rates Town School Tax Rates 2016-2017 (Actual) School Tax Rates 2017-2018 (Actual) Estimated School Tax Rates 2018-2019 Albion $15.43 $15.52 $15.47 Barre $15.43 $15.52 $15.47 Carlton $15.43 $15.52 $15.47 Gaines $15.43 $15.52 $15.47 Kendall $15.43 $15.52 $15.47 Murray $15.43 $15.52 $15.47 The above tax rates are projections based on an estimated change in assessments and equalization rates. Actual assessments and equalization rates were not available at the time of publication. Equalization rates are used by the State to determine how much of the tax levy is to be collected from each of our towns. The use of these rates is required by the State and is not under the control or the influence of the Board of Education. SAVE THE DATE Kindergarten Graduation: June 18 & 19 ES/MS Last School Day: June 21 HS Last School Day: June 11 HS Regents Exams June 12-21 High School Graduation: June 22 Pictured above: Local farmer Brett Kast shows Ag students how to properly trim apple trees. The students and FFA members grow 500 apple trees as well as a variety of produce at the land lab on the school campus. Date: May 15th FFA Chicken BBQ Cost: $10 donation Time: 4:30-7:00pm (until sold out) Place: High School Cafeteria