CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTMayfield

Spring 2014Panther…Pause

Mayfield residents to vote on proposed 2014-15 budget Spending plan preserves programs; tax levy increase within state cap

Residents of the Mayfield Central School District will go to the polls Tuesday, May 20 to vote on a proposed $17,424,260 school budget for 2014-15 that provides additional resources for students while staying within the state’s tax levy limit.

If approved, the proposal would increase the local tax levy by $88,815, or 1.27 percent, which is within the district’s tax levy

limit as calculated under the state’s tax levy “cap” law. As it is within the cap, eligible Mayfield taxpayers would qualify for the school tax rebate that was included in this year’s state budget. (See page 3 for more details about the state rebates.)

Because the proposed budget calls for a levy increase that does not exceed Mayfield’s maximum tax levy limit, the proposed 2014-15 budget will require approval by a simple majority of voters (50 percent plus 1) to pass.

The proposed budget maintains all current programs and services and provides some additional resources for students in the areas of reading and

math instruction and speech therapy. The budget also includes a full athletic program, including modified teams and a junior varsity and varsity program.

Seven positions would be reduced or eliminated next year because of declining enrollment, including a part-time librarian position, a part-time special education secretarial position, an elementary teaching position, a part-time pre-kindergarten teaching position, a part-time business teaching position and a teacher aide position.

These cuts won’t mean fewer services for students. Instead, the district will shift

2Where the money comes from and where it is spent

3What does this budget fund?

4Other ballot items, voter information and absentee ballot information

BUDGET VOTETuesday, May 20, 2014

Polls are open 12 noon to 8 p.m. in the high school gymnasium lobby.

PUBLIC HEARINGTuesday, May 13, 2014 • 7 p.m.

High School Upper Library

See “Spending plan preserves programs” on page 3

Budget at a glanceProposed 2014-15 budget = $17,424,2602013-14 budget = $16,766,066

Change 3.92% = $658,194

Proposed 2014-15 Real Property Tax Levy Increase = 1.27%

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“This budget will allow us to continue our focus on providing a 21st century education and address the academic needs of our students to make them college and career ready.”

Interim Superintendent Dr. Joseph Natale

www.mayfieldk12.com

CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTMayfield

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Where the money comes from… actual ProPosed $ change % change % of reVenues 2013-14 2014-15 ‘13-14 to ‘14-15 ‘13-14 to ‘14-15 BudgetState Aid $8,804,579 $9,134,084 $329,505 3.7% 52.4%Property Taxes $7,002,161 $7,090,976 $88,815 1.3% 40.7%Refunds, Tuition & Other $319,996 $289,200 -$30,796 -9.6% 1.7%Fund Balance $639,330 $910,000 $270,670 42.3% 5.2%total revenue $16,766,066 $17,424,260 $658,194 3.9% 100%

…and where it is spent actual ProPosed $ change % change % of exPenditures 2013-14 2014-15 ‘13-14 to ‘14-15 ‘13-14 to ‘14-15 BudgetInstruction $6,362,554 $6,632,164 $269,610 4.2% 38.1%Employee Benefits $4,512,250 $5,002,590 $490,340 10.9% 28.7%General Support* $1,573,669 $1,760,804 $187,135 11.9% 10.1%Pupil Transportation $736,600 $699,113 -$37,487 -5.1% 4.0%Debt Service $1,749,952 $1,458,138 -$291,814 -16.7% 8.4%BOCES & Other Services $1,831,041 $1,871,451 $40,410 2.2% 10.7%total expenditures $16,766,066 $17,424,260 $658,194 3.9% 100%

Instruction 38.1%

Benefits 28.7%

Transportation 4.0%

BOCES & Other Services 10.7%

General Support 10.1%

Debt Service: 8.4%

Projected Expenditures

Projected Revenues

How would the proposed budget affect my taxes?Actual tax rates are set in August and are based on final

assessment figures as provided by towns and equalization rates for each town as provided by the State Office of Real Property Tax Services.

The tax rates and dollar changes for next year that are shown in the chart at right are only estimates. The estimates DO NOT reflect any STAR or other tax exemptions that may reduce individual school tax bills. For more tax information, including information about the STAR program, visit www.mayfieldk12.com.

www.mayfieldk12.com

Estimated Tax Rates*per $1,000 of assessed value

2013-14 final

2014-15 estiMated

dollar change

Percent change

Mayfield $22.19 $22.47 - 22.60 $0.28 to $0.41 1.26% to 1.85%

northampton $24.47 $ 22.93 - 24.78 -$1.54 to $0.31 -6.29% to 1.27%

Johnstown $21.06 $ 20.84 - 21.33 -$0.22 to $0.27 -1.04% to 1.28%

Broadalbin $18.09 $ 17.44 - 18.32 -$0.65 to $0.23 -3.59% to 1.27%

Fund Balance 5.2% Refunds, Tuition & Other 1.7%

State Aid 52.4%

Property Taxes 40.7%

New York State school districts are required to present their budgets divided into three expenditure categories—program, administrative and capital—and compare them to last year’s amount.

*District-wide operations such as business, property insurance, operations and maintenance

*Final assessment and equalizations rates have not been finalized.

three-Part Budget actual 2013-14 ProPosed 2014-15 $ change ‘13-14 to ‘14-15

Administrative $1,998,908 $1,994,787 -$4,121

Program $11,977,406 $12,557,080 $579,674

Capital $2,789,752 $2,872,393 $82,641

total $16,766,066 $17,424,260 $658,194

Admin. 11.4%

Capital 16.5%

Program 72.1%

CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTMayfield

3 www.mayfieldk12.com

resources to other areas to provide more help for students in core academic areas.

The district would use the savings from those staff reductions, along with a $329,510 increase in state aid and funding from the local tax levy to add one full-time reading/Academic Intervention Services teacher and one part-time math/Academic Intervention Services teacher next year.

Other reductions in the budget include the elimination of a high-cost family health insurance plan the district previously offered in favor

of a less expensive plan with similar benefits for an annual savings of approximately $55,000.

In addition to voting on the budget May 20, residents will elect one member of the board of education, vote on a proposition to purchase two school buses and a plow truck, and a proposition to establish a capital reserve fund that would be used in future years to offset the costs of building renovations such as roof repairs. (For more information on what’s on the ballot see page 4.)

continued from page 1Spending plan preserves programs

What does the budget fund?Every year, the Mayfield school budget funds core programs, the operation and maintenance of school buildings, mandated services and a wide array of academic and extracurricular programs to provide students with an education to help make them ready for college and careers.

The proposed 2014-15 budget includes:

n The addition of a half-time math (AIS) teacher

n The addition of a full-time reading (AIS) teacher

n Maintenance of current class sizes

n Additional speech therapy services from HFM BOCES

n Full athletic program including two modified teams, junior varsity and varsity programs

n Funding to improve the efficiency of the district’s buildings and grounds/maintenance operation, business office and transportation services

n Continued funding for Project Lead the Way (this pre-engineering program is now in its second year at the junior/senior high school)

n Continued funding for Advanced Placement and College in the High School courses

Mayfield taxpayers eligible for school tax rebate under state programAs part of the adopted state budget, the state Legislature

passed a Property Tax Credit to provide rebate checks to homeowners beginning in the upcoming school year.

In the first year of this rebate program, if a district stays within its 2014-15 tax levy cap – as Mayfield’s proposed budget does – homeowners who are eligible for the School Tax Relief Program, or STAR, will receive a rebate check from the state for a portion of the school taxes

they paid. Residents will still receive a school tax bill in September and will still need to pay their annual taxes under the program. Additional details about the program, including when rebate checks will be mailed by the state, had not been released by the state at the time this publication went to print.

More information will be posted to the district’s website, www.mayfieldk12.com, as it becomes available.

Positioning the district for future savings

Solar panels planned to reduce district electricity costs

With a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the district is moving forward with a Power Purchase Agreement with Monolith Solar Associates, a Rensselaer-based solar energy firm, which will complete all the necessary engineering and installation of more than 1,300 solar panels at no cost to the district.

Under the terms of the 20-year agreement, Monolith would maintain ownership of the panels and be responsible for maintenance while selling the district all the generated electricity at a substantial discount compared to utility rates. Once installed, it’s estimated the panels would provide 32 percent of the electricity for the junior-senior high school and 45 percent of the electricity for the elementary school. The district would purchase the rest of its electricity from National Grid.

Over the next 20 years, the panels are expected to save the district nearly $200,000.

There is also an educational component to the project. By using Monolith’s Internet-based energy monitoring system, students and educators will be able to analyze the performance of the solar arrays and track the solar power being generated.

Installation of solar panels is just one of the ways the district is positioning itself to capture long-term savings. Other initiatives include cooperative bidding with other regional schools through HFM BOCES and participation in a regional consortium with nearby school districts to reduce worker’s compensation and health insurance costs.

CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTMayfield

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CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTMayfield

POSTAL CUSTOMER

Dated material: Important for district residents. Please send any address additions or corrections to the Superintendent’s Office at MCS.

27 School Street, Mayfield, NY 12117

Non-ProfitBulk Rate

U.S. PostagePAID

Mayfield, NYPermit #4

Board of educationErnie Clapper, PresidentRobert Suits, Vice PresidentTush NikollajKevin CapobiancoJoan Scannell

interim superintendent Dr. Joseph Natale

Produced in cooperation with the HFM BOCES Communications Service.

Voter eligibilityTo be eligible to vote, a resident

must have lived in the school district for at least 30 days prior to the May 20 election, be at least 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States.

Voter registrationResidents who are not already

on the school register may register to vote 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1-4 p.m., May 5-9 and May 12-16, at the District Office. Residents may also register to vote on May 20 in the lobby of the high school gymnasium with photo I.D. and proof of residence (i.e. current utility bill).

Voting locationThe school budget vote will take

place from 12 noon to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, May 20 in the lobby of the high school gymnasium.

Voter informationResidents who will not be in the

area on May 20 or otherwise unable to vote in person may apply for an absentee ballot at the District Office.

If the absentee ballot is to be mailed to the voter, the application must be submitted at least seven days prior to the vote. If the absentee ballot is to be picked up by the voter in person, applications will be accepted until May 19.

Absentee ballots must be returned to the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. on May 20.

Also on the ballot…One Board of Education seat

Voters will elect one Board of Education member to a five-year term. The candidate for the seat is incumbent Ernie Clapper.

Bus and truck purchaseResidents will vote on a proposition

that would allow the district to use its bus reserve fund to purchase two 65-passenger buses at a cost of $220,000, and one plow-equipped dump truck at a cost of $40,000. The district is eligible for 75 percent ($165,000) reimbursement for these vehicle purchases through state School Transportation Aid. School officials anticipate getting $5,400 in revenue from the sale of old equipment, bringing the net cost of the purchases to $89,000.

Establish a Capital Reserve FundResidents will vote on a proposition

that would allow the district to establish a capital reserve fund to offset the cost of any future renovation or construction projects.

Utilizing state building aid, transfers from existing reserves, unappropriated fund balance and budgetary appropriations, the reserve would be funded at a maximum amount of $1 million, plus earnings. The term of the reserve would be 10 years from the date of voter authorization.

If established, voter approval would be required in order for the district to spend funds from this reserve.

“ No budget is perfect, we wish it

could contain more. However,

our board and administration

have put in the hours to provide

our students with a solid

education in this plan, while still

being mindful of the taxpayers.”

Ernie Clapper, Board of Education President