Stability remains the goal as the Pioneer School Board heard a long-term fiscal forecast at its Nov. 5 regular meeting.
Assistant superintendent Nick Silvaroli shared his five-year financial projections for the district. He said he is forecasting expenses to rise an average of 2.22 percent (net of debt service) over the next five years, and 3.1 percent when debt service is factored in. Those expense increases have averaged 1.94 percent and 2.24 percent for last 10 adopted budgets.
By the 2024-25 school year, expenses are projected to be approximately $63.2 million, with the highest categories being salaries and benefits. Also, special education costs are significant, shaped partially by the need for out-of-district placement for some students.
On the revenue side, Mr. Silvaroli said the projections call for the property tax levy to increase by less than 2 percent annually, for a five-year average of 1.51 percent. For the last 10 years, the property tax levy has increased 1.82 percent per year.
He added he was basing his five-year projections on a rollover budget that will rely partly on attrition (retirements, etc.) and level categorical spending to achieve the district’s fiscal goals. State aid is forecast to rise from the current $25.4 million to $30.3 million in 2024-25.
Revenue and expenditure projections are based on trends over the last decade, as well as expected enrollment and staffing changes, Mr. Silvaroli said.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Ben Halsey explained agenda motion 5.4, the hiring of a new law firm for the district. He said Webster Szanyi, LLP will be assuming some of the duties traditionally handled by Pioneer’s current firm, Hodgson & Russ, many of them related to labor relations/negotiations.
“It gives us another layer of expertise without generating additional costs,” he said.
Mr. Halsey also said Wyoming County is conducting a study of traffic patterns on and around the high school/middle school campus, as the district continues to press for the state to install a traffic light at Route 39 and County Line Road. He added the Department of Transportation looks at nine different criteria for such installations, including the number of accidents each year at a given intersection.
Discussions are ongoing involving Town of Arcade Supervisor Douglas Berwanger and State Senator Patrick Gallivan, Mr. Halsey said.
In other news, Mr. Silvaroli highlighted key dates on the budget calendar for 2019-20, which was slated for board approval in motion 5.5. While budget planning is currently underway, the district will have a more clear picture when the governor unveils his funding proposal for next year in January.
Budget presentations begin with the regular board meetings in February and March, with adoption of the budget by April 21. May 5 is the date of this year’s budget hearing, and the annual statewide budget vote and Board of Education election is May 19.
Read a summary of the Nov. 5 meeting