ConVal’s proposed 2017 – 2018 operating budget is set at about $45 million.
That’s a slight decrease from its current operating budget.
“We did things a little different this year, instead of focusing on individual line items, the building administrators were asked to focus and prioritize the needs for each grade. So what are the priorities for the elementary schools? What are the priorities for middle schools? And then the high school?” Business Administrator Marian Alese said at the beginning of a public budget hearing on Wednesday night.
The largest slice of the budget, or 51 percent, is spent on salaries. The line item is projected to increase by about $740,000, despite administrators working to trim back positions across the district. Administrators were able to cut staffing positions back by about $400,000 but will add about $200,000 in new hires.
There will be a proposed four fewer teachers at the high school alone. Alese said it is also considering cutting a teaching position a Dublin Consolidated School due to declining enrollment numbers, although that decision is not final and is subject to change once final enrollment numbers are set in stone.
“We needed to go forward with something,” Alese said about the decision.
Administrators were able to scale back benefits by about $687,000 by making changes to its health care coverage that includes a higher co-pay and a higher deductible for staff included under the plan.
The board is could also spend about $510,000 from its trust funds. In total there are 10 items it is looking to spend trust fund dollars on, the largest being construction on the roof at Peterborough Elementary School and South Meadow School that is proposed to cost $176,000.
“All of these things will have to be decided on by the board and we likely would have a public hearing to let people know which trust account we are proposing to take money out of to accomplish a particular goal,” Alese said said about the use of trust-fund dollars.
If the proposed budget doesn’t pass, a default budget for $530,000 less will kick in.
Administrators and the school board asked for public comment at the end of the meeting, but no one came forward.
The school board will hold the first session of the annual school district meeting at the SAU building on Route 202 North on Feb. 8. at 6 p.m. A ballot vote is scheduled for March 14.