School budget up a tad

CORNWALL — No increase in education spending is the response from the Board of Finance after its review of town and school budget proposals for fiscal 2017.

At their March 16 meeting, finance board members took a long, hard look at the big issue of declining enrollments at Cornwall Consolidated School (CCS). It is currently at 91 students, but projections show that within the next decade, it could fall below 40.

The Board of Education is asking for an additional $15,507 over the current year, a 0.57 percent increase. The finance board can ask only for a change to the bottom line, and unanimously approved a motion for a reduction to the amount currently budgeted ($2,712,531).

The current fiscal year ends June 30. The new fiscal year begins on July 1, 2016.

No one from the school board attended to speak to their budget at the March 16 finance meeting. A detailed presentation was given by Principal Michael Croft the week before.

Finance members began by looking at per-pupil costs, dividing the bottom line by enrollment.

According to Chairman John LaPorta, the cost to educate a student at CCS next year will be nearly $30,000, without factoring in regional costs, such as special education. With a projected 78 students next year, that cost would be more than $35,000.

Beyond that, it is more of a philosophy of spending — attempting to balance fiscal responsibility with maintaining a building and a good educational system, or even considering regionalization at the elementary level.

Then there is the Minimum Budget Requirement (MBR) set by the state Board of Education, which mandates school districts spend more than the previous year, although waivers are available for decreases in enrollment and savings gained through increased efficiencies.

LaPorta noted it is a budgeting requirement, not a spending requirement. However, his concern is that the approved budget sets the mark for minimum spending for the next year.

Also considered was the potential for declining enrollment to be part of a cycle, as has been the case historically.

After a lengthy discussion, finance members decided cutting that amount from the budget would not be a hardship, considering that  the school typically returns large surpluses at the end of the budget year.

The projection for this year is about $140,000, but town finance officer Barbara Herbst said that was due mainly to the unpredictable, such as increased grant revenue and a teacher retiring one month into the school year.

The new budget proposal includes some contractual raises for teachers and some unknowns, such as a pending new contract for non-certified staff and the amount of the Title 1 grant. Croft will receive a 3 percent raise to $112,032. Total salary expenditures will drop due to cuts that include the elimination of a third-grade teaching position.

Per a request by finance member Celia Senzer, Herbst provided information about staffing and enrollment.

CCS has 13 full-time teachers and three part-time positions that are equivalent to two full-time. There are four full-time teaching assistants.

Enrollment is 91 at CCS and 37 at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, totaling 128. Next year, those numbers are projected to be 78 and 49, totaling 127.

Finance members agreed the school proposes a lean budget, and there is a sense of trust in how they spend that was not always the case. LaPorta said he would rather they present a budget without built-in contingencies, and instead come to the finance board for needs that arise. 

“We need to start getting costs in line with enrollment,” LaPorta said.

Lisa Simont noted that simply budgeting the funds means they are taxed for, and said she believes that should be avoided.

Janet Carlson objected to cutting spending for something that has not happened yet, and spoke to efforts by the Economic Development Commission to bring more families to town.

Senzer was dubious about that effort. The long-time board member also said projections for declining enrollment have proven correct over the past 15 years, yet the school budget continues to increase.

Meanwhile, LaPorta said, the town’s average age is rising, and town spending has to respond to those needs.

Among them is a van for seniors which will be coming soon, shared with Goshen, pending town approval.

First Selectman Gordon Ridgway advised that additional funds need to be added to the town government proposal to cover Cornwall’s share of that expense. It includes about $7,000 not covered by a grant for the purchase, and about $20,000 for annual operating costs.

Finance members praised the selectmen’s budget proposal for addressing needs in a responsible way.

It is currently proposed at a $38,382 increase of just over two percent.

LaPorta said that with the regional education assessment dropping significantly in the coming year — it is currently at a  $111,579 decrease in the Region One proposal — it is a good time to spend a little more on capital needs.

That plan totals $605,000. It includes allocations for a highway department backhoe, the balance for a new fire department tanker truck and routine needs, such as road improvement projects, budgeted at $275,000.

Two notable expenses that will likely be covered as appropriations after budgeting is done are work on or replacement of the Flat Rocks Road bridge, and the a feasibility study for the West Cornwall septic issue.

Next up in the budgeting process is for the Board of Finance to convene in a special meeting April 6 to look at expected revisions to the proposals. Ridgway said he expects to have more solid numbers for the tanker and van. The school board may also have a response to the finance board’s request.

The finance board will continue to deliberate on a combined budget proposal at its April 20 regular meeting.

A public hearing will be held on April 22.

The finance board will meet on May 11 to finalize a proposed budget.

A town meeting and public vote will be held May 20, with finance members meeting immediately after to set a new mill rate.

Board of Finance meetings will be held in Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.

The public hearing and town meeting will be held at CCS at 7:30 p.m.