Skip Navigation

RFH 2010, Cover Stories, HCS News

HCS Budget Cuts Include Positions

Thu, Mar 17, 2011

As the HCS budget process continues, the elimination of five and a half positions appears likely.

To cope with impending state and federal aid cuts as well as increases in some expenses, the 2011-2012 HCS preliminary budget continues to get trimmed, including the elimination of several teaching, administrative and support positions.

At Tuesday's regular monthly Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Diana Bowers revealed numerous cuts that bring next year's proposed spending plan in at $11,493,000, a 1.39 increase over the current budget. That means the district's tax levy would increase by 3.66 percent.

These are working numbers and could change as work on the budget continues.

The preliminary budget hearing will be held April 12. There is a final budget hearing at 7 p.m. on May 10 and district residents vote on the spending plan May 17.

The cuts include the equivalent of five and a half full time positions. These include:

  • 1 full time administrative position;
  • 1 full time secondary guidance counselor;
  • 1 full time occupational therapist (these services will be purchased from the Madison Oneida BOCES);
  • 1 full time elementary school teaching position;
  • 1/2 choral music teaching position;
  • 1/2 science teaching position;
  • 1/2 custodial position.

Other cuts totalling $94,000 include:

  • $30,000 in retirement incentive funds;
  • $20,000 in materials and supplies in both the elementary and secondary schools;
  • $13,000 in the athletics budget (a 10 percent reduction);
  • $10,000 in staff development;
  • $10,000 in non-instructional savings;
  • $5,000 by dropping the district's membership in the New York State School Boards Association;
  • $3,000 by eliminating research and planning fees;
  • $3,000 with the elimination of summer work days by guidance counselors.

At the same time, HCS has to deal with a 5 percent increase in health insurance premiums and an 11.1 percent increase in its contribution to the Teachers Retirement System.

Bowers said keeping the budget in line also means carrying forward a $170,000 fund balance from this year.

The HCS board met on the same day both the state Senate and Assembly passed their own budgets, both of which were at odds with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive spending package. Both restored millions of dollars in the cuts to education aid Cuomo suggests.

The state budget is supposed to be in place by April 1, which does not often happen.

Comptroller Says This Region's Schoos Coulf Suffer Most in Aid Cuts

Governor Hammers Unions Suppoprting Restoration of Aid

Please login to post your comments.