By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG -- A new Zamboni is needed to keep the ice in shape at Ogdensburg’s Golden Dome, but the price tag is a bit higher than had been anticipated.

The Zamboni used by the district is more than 21 years old and is quickly approaching the end of its days, according to Superintendent Timothy Vernsey.

Vernsey said it’s a big-ticket item, but said there is some urgency in getting the equipment replaced as it’s needed to maintain ice for next year’s hockey season.

The board of education has earmarked $100,000 for the Zamboni in the 2016-17 school budget, but the actual price is closer to $130,000.

This drew some concern from board member Michael Tooley, who questioned why the district would budget less than it needed to spend on an item. However, Vernsey said the school hoped to offset some of the cost with the sale of the school’s Zamboni and some additional funding already included in the facilities equipment budget line.

Tooley said he’d like to see the budget modified to reflect the actual cost of the Zamboni. He said the projected revenue from the sale should also be represented in budget.

“I don’t understand why we would budget $100,000 for something that is going to cost $130,000,” he said.

Versney said another large expense this year is the purchase of new uniforms for the high school band. He estimated the cost at $50,000, but added that some of the cost will be offset by fundraising efforts. Vernsey said he has also reached out to state legislators for potential help in purchasing the uniforms.