by Rachel Hunter
On Tuesday, May 21, Gouverneur Central School District residents will vote on the proposed $44,165,000 budget for the 2024-25 school year. The proposal carries a 3.59 percent spending increase over the current year and a 2.03 percent increase to the tax levy, which is at the levy limit.
The Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education held the annual budget hearing on May 13. The call to order was given by Board of Education President and Chairperson David Fenlong. There were over 30 Gouverneur Central School District staff, faculty, administrators, and community members present. A sample ballot was available for public perusal. The Budget Vote will be held on Tuesday, May 21, noon to 8 p.m., in the GHS Auditorium. The inspectors and officers of election were appointed at the May 4 meeting of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education as following: Chief Inspector Diane Kelley, Inspector Judith Poticher, and Assistant Clerk, Kim Shampine.
The presentation of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget was presented by Gouverneur Central School District Superintendent of Schools Jacquelyn L. Kelly as follows:
“I’d like to thank everybody for coming tonight,” Supt. Kelly said. “This is a nice crowd.”
The 2024-25 Proposed Budget contains three components – Administrative Component, Program Component, and the Capital Component.
There is $5,070,630 in the Administrative Component of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget. This is an increase of $368,089 over the current budget, and represents 11.48 percent of the total budget. “The primary reason for the increase is a central data processing shift,” Supt. Kelly said. “Software is now going to be recorded to the Administrative Component.” Supt. Kelly reminded the community that the Administrative Component includes expenses for the Board of Education, district clerk, Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, business administration, auditing, treasurer, tax collector, purchasing, legal services, personnel services, records management, public information services, curriculum development and supervision, central data processing, central printing and mailing, central storeroom, judgments and claims and employee benefits attributable to salaries included in this component.
There is $31,710,087 in the Program Component of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget. This is an increase of $2,401,349 over the current budget, and represents 71.80 percent of the total budget. Supt. Kelly said the increase is a direct result of the District trying to “build in the positions that have been funded by the American Rescue Plan federal funding over the course of the past three years.” The community was reminded that the Program Component includes salaries and benefits of teachers, guidance, health services, psychological and social work services, pupil personnel services, co-curricular activities, interscholastic athletics, district transportation services (excluding bus purchases), contract transportation, recreation, youth programs, civic activities, employee benefits attributable to salaries included in this component, transfers to school lunch and special aid funds, and legal services relating to the program component. Supt. Kelly also said that one big part of this component is the cost of the third year of a three-year First Student transportation contract included in the 2024-25 proposed budget, which is about $2.5 million.”
There is $7,384,283 in the Capital Component of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget. This is a decrease of $1,239,898 over the current year’s budget, and it represents 16.72 percent of the total budget. “The decrease is primarily because of the $1.2 million project at the middle school,” Supt. Kelly said. The community was reminded that the Capital Component covers the cost of operation and maintenance of buildings, school bus purchases, debt service, transfers to capital and debt service funds, tax certiorari, judgements and claims, and employee benefits attributable to salaries in this component.
In looking at the budget comparison between the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year, Supt. Kelly noted that the total budget has increased. The budget for the 2024-25 school year is projected to be $44,165,000. The tax levy will be $7,066,189, with a tax levy increase of $140,638. The tax levy increase that is projected for the 2024-25 school year is 2.03 percent. The spending increase is $1,529,580 or 3.59 percent, and the District will be allocating reserve funds to cover the difference between the spending increase and the tax levy increase.
The estimated financial impact on property owners is as follows: If a property owner is eligible for Basic STAR, on a $60,000 home, the total increase is projected to be $8.12. On a $100,000 home, the total increase is projected to be $17.21. If a property owner is eligible for Enhanced STAR, on a $60,000 home, the total increase is projected to be $0. On a $100,000 home, the total projected increase is $7.27.
Supt. Kelly then said: “I want to give you a little background on how we arrived at the budget this year. As you probably know, this budget supports our long-term district-wide goals. We have had those goals in place for three years now. Our first goal is to bring consistency to curriculum decisions across grade levels and to provide appropriate professional development to support those curriculum decisions. We are trying to tie the professional development in with our curriculum. Our primary focus continues to be developing the foundational skills necessary for students to effectively read and write and do math. Our second goal is to continue to provide the social emotional support and academic opportunities for all students to be engaged and find success in school. Our primary focus in for all students to feel safe, welcomed at school, and want to be a part of our school community. Finally, we will continue to work to provide a continuum of the Special Education services district-wide to support the needs of all our students.
“This year, we had a couple of great planning sessions when talking about the budget, and what we thought we needed to include,” Supt. Kelly said. “So, district-wide, some of the additions to the budget this year are: We will have a school psychology intern joining us. We will have behavioral support. We will continue the afterschool and summer remedial and enrichment programming that has been funded by the American Rescue Plan funds for the last three years. We will have technology education support, orchestra, and we will continue our virtual psychologists. At the Gouverneur Elementary and Middle Schools specifically, we will continue to fund the Math Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Teachers, the Instructional Math Coach, Counseling Teaching Assistants, and we will be funding additional classroom aides specifically for the kindergarten classrooms. At the high school, we will be looking to add a Reading Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Teacher. We will be looking at BOCES Alternative Education Programming to address some of our needs at the high school.
“As I stated earlier, many of these positions have been funded over the past three school years utilizing the American Rescue Plan (ARP) federal funding that the District received as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis,” Supt. Kelly said. “While the funding is scheduled to end in summer of 2024, the needs of our student population continue to increase and these services are needed by our students and their families.”
Supt. Kelly said: “One last thing that I would like to add is that, in preparation for the New York State mandated shift to the use of electric vehicles and the district’s need to be prepared for that shift, the proposed budget includes the purchase of five new diesel-powered buses and one new gasoline powered Suburban. The budget also includes two fully grant funded electric powered vehicles. This will allow the district to determine the feasibility of using electric vehicles in a district of our size and terrain.
“The business office, administrative team, and I have worked hard, with faculty and staff input, to develop a fiscally sustainable budget that provides the preservation of the strong educational programming, safe and secure environments, and extracurricular activities that our community has supported over the years.”
It was also noted that, in addition to the budget, residents will be asked to elect four members to the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education. The top three vote-getters will be named to the three-year seats (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027) to succeed Nickolas Ormasen, Laurie Roberts, and Laura Spicer, and the fourth will fill the vacant term (May 22, 2024 to June 30, 2027) to succeed Lisa McGregor. The candidates on the ballot are: Laurie M. Roberts, Laura Spicer, Roland Roderick, Nickolas Ormasen, and Lisa McGregor. Full candidate bios have been published online at www.gcsk12.org.
Also on the budget will be a proposition that, if approved, would continue to allow a high school student to serve as an ex officio, not-voting member of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education.
There were no questions made public at the budget hearing.
Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education President David Fenlong extended gratitude to Supt. Kelly for the budget presentation.
All residents in the Gouverneur Central School District who are 18 years of age or older, a U.S. Citizen, and have resided in the district for at least 30 days prior to the election are encouraged to vote. The Gouverneur Central School District Budget Vote and Board Member Election will be held Tuesday, May 21, noon to 8 p.m., in the GHS Auditorium. There also will be the Gouverneur Central School District Art Show in the GHS auxiliary gym on Tuesday, noon to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.gcsk12.org.