For immediate release from the
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Schools

April 22, 2010

BH-BL 2010-11 budget will increase only one-tenth of one percent

BURNT HILLS:  Completing a five-month process, members of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Board of Education have unanimously adopted a proposed budget for the 2010-11 school year of $53,428,188. The new budget is one-tenth of one percent or $59,328 higher than the current year's budget of $53,368,860.

    The budget will now go before district voters at the polls on May 18.

    The tax impact of this budget can only be estimated until the state budget is decided. Assuming that the state Legislature ultimately approves Governor Paterson's proposal to reduce state aid to BH-BL by $1.6 million, the proposed school budget will result in a tax levy increase of 2.2 percent.

Reductions made after lengthy process

    The proposed 2010-11 school budget reflects $1.5 million in program and staffing reductions, including the loss of the equivalent of 25 full-time staffing positions.

    Despite having cut more than $1 million including 16 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions in the current year's budget, BH-BL school board members approached the 2010-11 budget as one where further strategic reductions would be needed due to the loss of state revenue, the economic hardships being felt by many residents, and the likelihood that the district's fiscal situation could be even worse in 2011-12 when the federal stimulus money New York has been relying upon has all been spent.

    The new budget is the result of extensive public discussion at three community budget forums plus five finance committee meetings since January. "I believe that we had more public participation in creating this budget than ever before," says superintendent Jim Schultz. "The input and reactions we received from staff, students and residents during the budget process were a big help in creating what I hope will be a balanced answer to a very tough situation."

    As a starting point, preliminary budget numbers were announced at the end of January. A list of potential budget cuts was posted on the district website at the end of February, then revised and reposted several times during March as the Board and administration continued to refine various proposals in response to input from the community, staff and students.

    More than 300 people attended the budget forum on March 2 in the high school library, and roughly 150 were present on March 25 in the middle school cafetorium. All three budget forums were also broadcast live over the internet in a manner that allowed many more people to participate. "Viewers could type in their questions and suggestions for the Board via a computer from their home or anywhere," explains communications specialist Christy Multer. "We had as many as 75 people at a time participating in the forums this way too."

Summary of reductions and their impact

   In the final $53.4 million budget Board members approved a package of 47 reductions from the current year, which will save $1.5 million compared to the cost of simply rolling current year programs and staffing forward by one year. 

    Reductions include part-time and full-time staffing cutbacks with a net loss of 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, was follows:

    Reductions include:

	Elementary enrollment projections for next fall indicate that the district will be able to maintain current class size averages with the loss of two regular class teachers and one special education teacher across the three schools.
	A slight decrease in middle school enrollment will ease the impact of teacher reductions there. The loss of 3.1 FTE teachers is expected to result in slightly higher numbers in grade 6 regular classes, in grade 7 music classes, and in academic intervention classes.
	The BH-BL high school currently has 1,140 pupils. With an extra 30 pupils expected there next fall and the loss of three teachers, class sizes will increase in some instances. Another way that teacher reductions will be addressed is by not offering some electives, or offering them only every other year.
	Although BH-BL already has the lowest interscholastic sports budget in the Suburban Council and 4th level teams were eliminated in 2009-10, the 2010-11 sports budget includes further reductions. Officiating and transportation costs will be reduced by cutting one scrimmage per varsity team and holding fewer non-league competitions.
	Like many businesses, BH-BL is cutting back on middle management. Many of the district’s 21 administrators will be assuming additional managerial, supervisory and clerical tasks next year as other staffing is reduced or eliminated. Secondary school teacher leader assignments are being eliminated over 2009-10 and 2010-11. The Middle School Dean of Students position (already reduced in 2009-10) will be further reduced to 0.4 FTE. Two K-12 district department head positions will be combined next year to create a joint Math/Science department head to supervise curriculum, instruction and assessment in those subjects.
	The loss of a part-time librarian will leave each school with one full-time librarian. The elementary schools are also each losing their library clerk and are currently evaluating several models to best accommodate this change.
	Several support staff aide and monitor positions are being reduced. Although BH-BL will also be losing its School Resource Officer, Trooper Healey, due to cutbacks in the state budget, the high school will still employ three security monitors (two of whom are retired police officers), who patrol school hallways, fields and entrances.
	Other cutbacks include a loss of $1,000 per school in money for out-of-district field trips. Staff will be seeking alternate ways to provide students with enrichment, such as more arts-in-education grants.
	Both elementary and secondary summer school offerings will be reduced. This means that some students who want to attend summer school may have to do so in a neighboring district.
	Reductions have been made in equipment and supply budget codes across the district, even though these codes have already been frozen for the past two years.
	Board members reluctantly decided to delay replacing the district’s 13-year-old dump truck/sander/snow plow for yet another year.
	Other support staff reductions include the further loss of 1.5 FTE custodial positions, 1.4 FTE clerical positions, and six teacher assistants.

 
(See the Final Budget Worksheet (April 14) for a list of all 47 reductions. pdf format)

Revenue side of the new budget

      Use of the district fund balance was also a topic of extensive discussion during the budget process. BH-BL currently has approximately $2 million set aside in an undesignated fund balance or "rainy day" fund. Typically $550,000 of the available fund balance is designated or used to balance the operating budget each year while the remainder is held for emergencies.

     "Given the unprecedented fiscal problems our state and community are facing, Board members concluded the rainy day we've been saving for is here now, and that more of the undesignated fund balance should be applied to the 2010-11 budget to hold down the tax increase," says Schultz.

    The Board is applying $1 million or half of the undesignated fund balance to the 2010-11 budget and plans to save $1 million to apply to the 2011-12 budget as well. Looking ahead, Schultz sees several possibilities to start rebuilding the fund balance including savings on new health insurance options over the next several years and seeking grants to cover some existing costs.

Tax impact

      Assuming that state aid falls by $1.6 million under the Governor's proposals, next September’s BH-BL school tax levy will need to increase by 2.2 percent to balance the proposed budget. 

    Specific tax increases for each of the district’s four towns will not be known until August, when the state Office of Real Property Services (ORPS) announces tax equalization rates. The best the district can do to estimate new tax numbers is to use 2009 equalization rates as shown below:

Understanding this chart:  If your home is in the town of Glenville and on last September's tax bill its total ASSESSED value was $170,800, your school tax bill could increase by $78 in September 2010. The is the best estimate the school district can make given existing data. Calculations will change when ORPS announces final 2010 equalization rates in August.

(* Reminder:  Some town assessments are more up to date than others. Median assessment figures are calculated directly from the tax roles and are based not on the entire town but only on the portion of the town within the BH-BL school district.)

     The Board of Education only decides the overall tax levy and plays no role in determining how much of the tax burden is placed on any one town or property owner.

Other ballot item: Bus Proposition

      The May 18 ballot will also include three candidates for two seats on the Board of Education and a proposition to replace seven pupil transportation vehicles at a cost not to exceed $350,000. The district is proposing to purchase two 66-passneger buses, two 20-passenger buses, one 7-passenger van and two 4-passenger sedans in 2010-11.

    The van and sedans are used to transport students to private and parochial schools within specific mile limits as required by law. The two 20-passenger buses will replace old 30-passenger buses, a switch that will save money on both their initial cost and fuel since they get more miles per gallon of fuel.

    Approximately 70 percent of the costs of buses is reimbursed by the state. BH-BL annually replaces several of the oldest buses in its 73-vehicle fleet and spreads bus payments over five years. The bus replacement proposition will not increase the budget or taxes because payments for new buses will offset old bus debt being retired.

Board of Education candidates

    The board seats up for election are currently held by Timothy Kelliher, who is not seeking re-election, and Robert Speck, who is. Speck will be joined on the ballot by challengers William Farmer and Lee-Ann Mertzlufft.

      All board members run at large, so the two candidates receiving the most votes will be elected.

      A 12-page newsletter providing more information on all of the above items will be mailed to BH-BL households on April 29 and can also be downloaded here in pdf format  (Warning to dial-up users: this is a very large file - 940 K.)
 

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