Watkins school adopts $24 million budget proposal

WATKINS GLEN—The Watkins Glen school board Monday, April 7 adopted the final 2014-2015 budget proposal representing a 2.9 percent increase in expenditures over last year.  
The new budget  results in a 2.76 percent tax levy increase which is the school’s tax limit.  Since the district has stayed within the tax cap, all property owners with a Star Exemption will receive a rebate check from the state covering any increase in school taxes, leaving the actual impact for this group with no increase. The budget produces an estimated tax rate increase of $.33 per $1,000 assessment.
A summary of key budget numbers include the following:
The new budget restores four staff positions that had been  previously laid off. These staffers will be assigned to positions of need in the district. There will also be the reassigning of current staff members to meet the needs identified by administrators.
The budget recommendation also restores the district reserve fund balance to the maximum allowable amount of 4 percent. In the 2009-2010 school year the district eliminated 30 positions and at the same time significantly reduced the school’s fund balance in order to manage the financial difficulties at that time.
In other business:
Carol Franzese presented the 2014-2015 public library budget. The figures represent an increase of $2,700 over last year’s total. The library budget vote will be May 7, 2014 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m at the library.
Approved the appointment of Nan-Woodworth-Shaw as the Title IX Complaint Officer.
Approved the appointment of the following spring coaches:
Alicia Learn as Mod-A Volunteer for Softball
David Waite as Volunteer Assistant for Golf
Diane Wood as Varsity Girls Golf Coach
The superintendent also recognized Samantha Bradley as this years’s Section IV Class C Bowling Champion. This year she bowled a 571 series during the IAC championship tournament.
The next board meeting is a workshop scheduled for Monday, April 21, 2014.