Public Hearing held for upcoming school budget

Last Tuesday, a Public Hearing was held virtually to present the 2020-21 school budget for the Owego Apalachin School District. This year’s overall budget is being proposed at $47,717,978 and includes a 1.82 percent tax levy increase, which is an allowable amount under New York’s tax cap this year. 

This year’s voting is also by absentee ballot, and it must arrive by June 9 at 5 p.m. to be counted. You can also drop it in the blue drop box at the OA District Office on Sheldon Guile Boulevard in Owego. If you did not receive a ballot, email to vote@oacsd.org or call 687-6215 to request one. 

The Public Hearing, as well as detailed budget information, can be found at www.oacsd.org/2020-2021BudgetInfo.aspx. Questions, which were posed by the public, were addressed during Tuesday’s meeting, and the answers can be found online, and along the right side of the page.

An example of questions rendered included transportation savings, since the schools have been closed. In response, Superintendent Corey Green stated that the busses are off the road, but they need to hang on to the savings to possibly bridge any funding gap that might happen as word on state aid is in the balance.

Typically, and according to Superintendent Green, state aid is around $23 million. This year, however, there may be mid-year cuts to foundation aid. He explained that the cut could be 5 percent or $700,000, 10 percent or $1.4 million, or even 20 percent at $2.8 million. In the meantime, they wait.

“We’re trying to weather the storm, so we’ve been watching the budget,” said Superintendent Green.

When he opened the meeting, he discussed this conservative spending, noting that they found a better plan for retiree health insurance, which saved approximately $750,000; they changed the Worker’s Compensation provider to a more affordable plan; and made other reductions to balance the budget, noting that they did not have to touch the reserves. There have also been reductions through attrition.

To view the budget in its entirety, visit https://www.oacsd.org/2020-2021BudgetInfo.aspx.

With the last day of instruction for the school taking place on June 12, and graduation plans still being looked at, Superintendent Green wanted to take a moment during the hearing to thank the teachers and staff, noting their adaptation and quick action during the pandemic, and the shift to distance learning.

“It’s been a real team effort during a difficult time,” Green added.

As for graduation, it was noted that proposed plans for a June graduation have been submitted, and they are just waiting on guidance from the state. 

“We want to make it special for them,” said Superintendent Green of graduation.