AUBURN - Working to keep a budget under control for Auburn City schools, administrators spent two days crunching the numbers Albany released last Friday to maintain costs and find ways of spending potentially more state aid than they anticipated.
Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent John Plume and business administrator Marianne O'Connor gave the board of education a modified presentation of the 2006-07 district budget Tuesday.
A possible 4 percent increase in state aid over Gov. George Pataki's initial proposal would help keep the tax levy increase at 4.32 percent, contingent upon the city's preliminary assessment reports, Auburn revaluation and potential changes in town equalization rates.
Plume urged the school board to allow money to maintain Auburn's five school resource officers. The SRO program plus additional staff and custodial positions comprise expenditure changes that bring the district's recommended budget up to over $59 million, from its first draft at $58.9 million.
The latest school budget draft includes $25,000 in additional support for SROs. The school district had previously set aside $175,000 in its proposed budget for the coming fiscal year for the SRO program.
Mayor Tim Lattimore, who last month said that he would like to see the school district assume a larger share of the cost for the School Resource Officer program, affirmed his stance to the school board Tuesday.
“We appreciate what you're trying to do,” he said, adding that city officials were still looking at “the true cost” of the program.
The proposed state budget includes $50 million dollars in statewide funding for Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs, which translates to $142,736 in additional funding for Auburn schools. The city school district currently contracts with other sites to run the program, and is considering how to best spend the additional funding for that program.
Key budget increases include salaries and benefits, the BOCES debt service, and supplies like gasoline and diesel fuel.
In other news:
- School board candidate Joe Leogrande warned the board against approving a Project Lead the Way technology program for Auburn High School next year.
Earlier Tuesday evening, two high school technology teachers and administrators from the Rochester Institute of Technology described the program as a way to grow the technology workforce locally. The RIT-offered program would expose high school students to the world of engineering, offering courses for college credit and providing course-related internships for students to area companies.
Leogrande, though, cautioned against the expense of such a program, saying it was, in effect, a non-profit in sheep's clothing.
“It requires special software packages, special equipment, special training,” he said, adding he found the school district's willingness to consider it curious in light of board members' recent dismissal of a far less costly drivers' education program.
translates to $142,736 in additional funding for Auburn schools.
The city school district currently contracts with other sites to run the program, and is considering how to best spend the additional funding for that program.
Key budget increases include salaries and benefits, the BOCES debt service, and supplies like gasoline and diesel fuel.
Member to exit
Charles F. Beck has cited personal reasons for choosing not to seek re-election to the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education.
Beck is ending a three-year term on the board.
“I feel that my business and personal life need some of the time and attention I have spent on the schools,” he said in a written statement.
With his youngest child now a college freshman, Beck said he hopes his spot will go to someone with a greater vested interest in the welfare of the district's schools - perhaps a parent of younger children.
“I greatly enjoyed my term on the board, but I am not going to run again,” he said.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext 235 or olivia.goldberg@lee.net
See DISTRICT, A2
A possible 4 percent increase in state aid over Gov. George Pataki's initial proposal would help keep the tax levy increase at 4.32 percent, contingent upon the city's preliminary assessment reports, Auburn revaluation and potential changes in town equalization rates.
Plume urged the school board to allow money to maintain Auburn's five school resource officers. The SRO program plus additional staff and custodial positions comprise expenditure changes that bring the district's recommended budget up to over $59 million, from its first draft at $58.9 million.
The latest school budget draft includes $25,000 in additional support for SROs. The school district had previously set aside $175,000 in its proposed budget for the coming fiscal year for the SRO program.
Mayor Tim Lattimore, who last month said that he would like to see the school district assume a larger share of the cost for the School Resource Officer program, affirmed his stance to the school board Tuesday.
“We appreciate what you're trying to do,” he said, adding that city officials were still looking at “the true cost” of the program.
The proposed state budget includes $50 million dollars in statewide funding for Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs, which translates to $142,736 in additional funding for Auburn schools. The city school district currently contracts with other sites to run the program, and is considering how to best spend the additional funding for that program.
Key budget increases include salaries and benefits, the BOCES debt service, and supplies like gasoline and diesel fuel.
In other news:
- School board candidate Joe Leogrande warned the board against approving a Project Lead the Way technology program for Auburn High School next year.
Earlier Tuesday evening, two high school technology teachers and administrators from the Rochester Institute of Technology described the program as a way to grow the technology workforce locally. The RIT-offered program would expose high school students to the world of engineering, offering courses for college credit and providing course-related internships for students to area companies.
Leogrande, though, cautioned against the expense of such a program, saying it was, in effect, a non-profit in sheep's clothing.
“It requires special software packages, special equipment, special training,” he said, adding he found the school district's willingness to consider it curious in light of board members' recent dismissal of a far less costly drivers' education program.
translates to $142,736 in additional funding for Auburn schools.
The city school district currently contracts with other sites to run the program, and is considering how to best spend the additional funding for that program.
Key budget increases include salaries and benefits, the BOCES debt service, and supplies like gasoline and diesel fuel.
Member to exit
Charles F. Beck has cited personal reasons for choosing not to seek re-election to the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education.
Beck is ending a three-year term on the board.
“I feel that my business and personal life need some of the time and attention I have spent on the schools,” he said in a written statement.
With his youngest child now a college freshman, Beck said he hopes his spot will go to someone with a greater vested interest in the welfare of the district's schools - perhaps a parent of younger children.
“I greatly enjoyed my term on the board, but I am not going to run again,” he said.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext 235 or olivia.goldberg@lee.net
See DISTRICT, A2
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