Second Bedford School Budget Easily Approved By Voters
The second Bedford Central School District budget proposed for 2016-17 passed easily Tuesday night by a nearly 3-1 margin.
Passage of the $126.8 million spending plan, 2,490-950, came after the first budget put before voters on May 17 failed by a razor-thin margin. That budget needed a 60 percent approval to override the state tax cap, but garnered just under 59 percent approval.
Board of Education President Jennifer Gerken and trustees Suzanne Grant and Michael Solomon declined to comment on the outcome after the results had been tallied.
The newly passed budget carries a 1.31 tax levy increase, the largest hike allowed for the district this year while remaining under the tax cap, and cuts 52 positions. The budget cuts $2.8 million in personnel and services from the $129.9 million failed budget.
The biggest next year cut will be at the elementary school libraries, where four library media specialists will be eliminated. One librarian will remain and be shared by the district’s five elementary schools.
Three district custodians will be cut for a savings of $171,259, while the central office payroll will be reduced by $213,646 by eliminating a clerk and purchasing agent. An English to speakers of a foreign language teacher will be cut as well for a $83,000 savings.
Another $170,000 will be cut from professional development and the freshman baseball team will be eliminated.
At the high school, three teachers – two science positions and a Latin teacher – and four support positions will be eliminated.
In the middle school, a literacy coach, a .6 support staff member and a safety monitor were removed from the budget. At the elementary schools, a band teacher and a .8 support staff member will be eliminated.
A $350,000 transfer from fund balance to capital projects will be made and the district’s television station, BCSDTV, will be phased out mid-year at a savings of $62,000.
Superintendent of Human Services Gina Healy will retire at the end of the current school year, and her position will be eliminated at her suggestion. Her duties will be picked up by a current administrator.
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