For immediate release from the
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Schools

April 23, 2008

Four candidates running for three seats on school board

BH-BL school budget growing by 3.97%

BURNT HILLS:   After nearly four months of work, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Board of Education members have agreed to put a $52.2 million budget for the coming school year before district voters at the polls on May 20.

         The ballot will also include a proposition to purchase five school buses for no more than $450,000 and four candidates for three seats on the school board.
 

Average Tax Increase will be 4.5%

         Board members adopted a 2008-09 budget of $52,240,344.  This represents an increase of $1,996,714 or 3.97 percent from the current year’s budget of $50,243,630.  Based on the aid  revenue that BH-BL will be receiving from the state in the new state budget, property tax rates will need to rise by 4.5 percent on average in the district’s four towns to fund the school budget.

         According to Assistant Superintendent Jacqueline St. Onge, actual tax increases for each town will not be known until August when the State Office of Real Property Services announces tax equalization rates. The Board of Education only decides on the overall tax levy and plays no role in determining how much of the tax burden is placed on any one town or property owner.
 

Net reduction in staffing

         Staff salaries and benefits represent three-quarters of the overall budget and nearly three-quarters of the change in next year’s proposed budget. “The school board spent an incredible amount of time this year working to match staffing with our enrollment and most urgent needs,” says Superintendent Jim Schultz. “They had to make a number of tough decisions and ultimately came out with a net reduction of 2.8 full time positions.”

         The proposed budget adds one and a half special education teachers and one teacher assistant to provide mandated services to two classes of handicapped youngsters.  One custodian would be added to reduce overtime costs and handle increases in classroom space. Based on higher than expected kindergarten enrollment for September, an additional half-time kindergarten teacher is also needed.

         A reduction in first grade enrollment next fall means BH-BL can cut one elementary teaching position, but other reductions that the school board agreed to were more difficult, Schultz says. To respond to community requests for a lower tax increase, the board decided to cut one full-time teacher assistant position at each of the district’s five schools, which will save approximately $125,000 and reduce services to some children.

         Also secondary teacher time will be reduced by one math, one English, one science and one social studies class, despite a high school enrollment increase in the fall.  This reduction would save $41,600.
 

Fuel costs rising

         Given the 30 percent national rise in fuel costs in the past 12 months, it is no surprise that fuel costs are the second largest area of increase in the BH-BL 2008-09 budget.  St. Onge is budgeting an increase of $332,250 or 18 percent for natural gas, electricity, gasoline and diesel fuel. This figure represents both actual increases in the current year and projections for next year.

         “These increases are painful even though we’ve been aggressive at finding ways to cut fuel consumption,” she says. BH-BL purchases natural gas and electricity directly from the producer as part of a large consortium of school districts and businesses organized by the BOCES.  “The utilities increase would have been much greater had we not been able to lock in good electricity rates until 2010 and good natural gas rates until 2012 through the consortium,” says St. Onge. She estimates that BH-BL is paying 15-20% less than institutions that are not part of the consortium, which saved the district $54,000 in electricity costs last year. She also expects the consortium will save BH-BL 8 cents per therm of natural gas or $40,000 in 2008-09.

         Over the past three years, the district has also been replacing the original inefficient steam heating systems in its schools with much more cost-effective systems. St. Onge has calculated that the high school’s new heating system saved taxpayers $110,000 in natural gas costs for 2006-07 alone.

School Board candidates

         In addition to the budget and bus purchase proposition, BH-BL residents will be voting on four candidates for three seats on the Board of Education.  The candidates are incumbents John Blowers, Nancy Della Pia, and Joe Pericone, plus newcomer Patre Kuziak. All four currently have children attending district schools.

         Residents will have an opportunity to pose questions of the candidates at Meet the Candidates Night on Tuesday, May 6, at 7:30 pm in the high school library.

         Kuziak is seeking her first term on the school board. She is co-owner of Marcella’s Restaurant on Route 50 in Glenville and a frequent employer of BH-BL pupils. She is president of the Burnt Hills-Scotia Glenville Hockey Association and has received a Founders Day award from the Charlton Heights PTA.

         Blowers has served on the school board since November 2006. A human relations manager at General Electric, he is a Little League coach, a Junior Achievement board member, and an elder at the Charlton Freehold Presbyterian Church.

         Pericone also joined the school board in 2006. A former Lakehill Soccer coach and Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts volunteer, he is a GE mechanical engineer. He also helped develop the Pathways Program at GE which introduces middle and high school pupils to engineering with hands-on lessons.

         Della Pia has been a BH-BL school board member for three years and is currently board vice president and Finance chair. A trained public health nurse, she has much PTA experience including being president of the Stevens Elementary PTA.

         More information on the budget, bus proposition and board candidates is included in a 12-page newsletter being mailed to all district households on May 1.
 

Absentee ballots available

         Residents will be voting in the high school gym on May 20 from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.  Registered voters may also vote by absentee ballot if they cannot appear at the polling place on May 20.  A copy of the absentee ballot application form plus more information on all the above topics is posted on the district website.

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