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Parishville-Hopkinton Central adopts 2016-17 school budget; superintendent ‘disappointed’ lawmakers have not approved state budget

Posted 4/4/17

By MATT LINDSEY PARISHVILLE -- The Parishville-Hopkinton Central Board of Education (BOE) adopted the 2016-17 budget Monday night that will see a 3.15 percent tax increase for residents. “The …

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Parishville-Hopkinton Central adopts 2016-17 school budget; superintendent ‘disappointed’ lawmakers have not approved state budget

Posted

By MATT LINDSEY

PARISHVILLE -- The Parishville-Hopkinton Central Board of Education (BOE) adopted the 2016-17 budget Monday night that will see a 3.15 percent tax increase for residents.

“The budget was adopted almost immediately,” at the BOE meeting, according to Superintendent Wayne Walbridge. “There were no issues.”

The tax increase will raise $113,530 toward the budget, he said. The total amount to be raised by taxpayers is 3,713,984.

The PHCS budget this year is $11,304,405, an increase of $287,391 or 2.61 percent.

Walbridge said it was nice that the district would not requite a supermajority vote this year, but was still waiting on the state budget.

“Not having a state budget puts schools in limbo,” he said. “Administrators, teachers and staff are disappointed we don't have a state budget yet.”

Walbridge said the Board was able to reduce the budget gap from $42,818 the last time they met, to $31,331.

The $11,487 in savings was realized from adjustments in services for special needs tied to BOCES, he said.

PHCS will apply $1,031, 331 from their fund balance to the budget.

“The one snag here is there is no state budget,” Walbridge said.

If the district ends up with more aid, Walbridge says the money would be applied to the “revenue side of things.”

“I’ve discussed with the Board reducing the amount of fund balance used, but they may have other considerations, I am not sure,” he said.

The school added funding for an additional day of a BOCES tech position in preparation of the 1:1 Chromebooks computer program as part of the Smart Schools Bond Act.

Adding tech support is “critical” to the rollout of the program this September, he said.

Students in K-12 are expected to receive Chromebooks, with details still needing to be ironed out.

“There are terms, policies and regulations the Board of Education would have to decide on,” Walbridge said.

The public will vote on the budget May 16 with a public meeting planned May 8.

The Board of Education meets for its regular meeting on April 25. They will vote on the BOCES budget and board candidates.