Board adopts $91.27 million budget that decreases property tax levy by 2.06%
At its April 20 meeting, the Monticello Central School District Board of Education adopted a proposed budget for the 2021-22 school year. The $91,266,606 spending plan is a decrease of $1,420,266 from the rollover budget initially proposed earlier this year, and decreases the property tax levy by 2.06%
Budget overview
Given the unusual circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, administrators created a budget and expenditure list based upon a three-year average of data, rather than relying solely on data from the unprecedented last year and a half. The proposed budget preserves all existing positions, adds new custodial equipment and a truck, increases professional development, and adds additional positions to support student and district success, including a teacher aide, school district accountant, three teaching assistants, a security attendant and social worker.
Less than half of proposed budget is funded by property taxes
The proposed budget is an increase of $733,581 from the adopted 2019-20 budget, however, an 8.39% increase in state aid enabled the district to reduce the property tax levy by 2.06%
“We have worked diligently since 2015 to progressively shrink the portion of the budget funded by the tax levy, while increasing funding from other sources,” Assistant Superintendent for Business Lisa Failla said. “Less than half of the district’s expenses have been funded by our taxpayers since the 2018-19 school year and we were pleased to be able to continue that trend in this upcoming year.”
Federal stimulus money is not included in annual budget
Although the district expects to receive federal funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), those funds are not included in the proposed budget. This one-time federal relief funding is intended to address specific challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and will not be an on-going source of revenue for American school districts. The stimulus money must be placed into a special aid fund that is separate from the general fund. In order to receive aid, school districts must submit a plan to the New York State Education Department for approval that details precisely how the district intends to utilize the funding in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the federal government. Funds can only be used for specific purposes, including addressing learning loss through targeted interventions such as summer school, mental health support, and upgrades to facilities that improve indoor air quality. At press time, the district has not received confirmation of the amount of aid it can expect to receive. However, once more information is received, the district will continue to update the public as the process continues.
“While we appreciate this relief, these monies are a one-time infusion of federal dollars that must be expended between now and 2023,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Evans said. “There is a finite period for that expenditure and once that is over, that money is gone, so it would not be prudent to attempt to roll it into our annual budget. We will work diligently, with broad stakeholder input, to create a plan for these funds that best benefits our students and our community.”
Quick Links
Board of Education Candidates’ Statements
Voter Registration/Absentee Ballots
Board of Education Candidates
Three candidates are running for the three available seats on the board of education. They will appear on the ballot in this order:
- Timothy Crumley
- Lynka Rivera
- Todd Grodin
Budget Data
Budget Development Calendar
November 5, 2020: Present budget calendar to Board of Education
November 16, 2020: Principal’s meeting to discuss budget guidelines
November 19, 2020: BOE meeting – Board approves 2021-22 budget calendar for adoption with enrollment trends (2013- present)
November 20, 2020: Distribute budget calendar to Administrators and schedule dates for individual budget meetings with Assistant Superintedent for Business Lisa Failla, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Dr. Linda Oehler-Marx and Director of Pupil Personnel Services Tanya Duryea
December 18, 2020: Staffing recommendations from Principals & Directors
January 11, 2021: Staffing discussion at Principal’s meeting
January 19-22, 2021: Individual budget meetings between Central Office and Plant Operations, Transportation, Security & Technology.
February 4, 2021: BoE Meeting – Topic: Preliminary Budget Forecast, Rollover budget, Assumptions & Tax Levy Limit
February 1-5, 2021: Individual budget meetings with Central Office and Building Principals & Athletics
February 12, 2021: Proposed staffing recommendations for 2021-22 completed
February 18, 2021: BoE Meeting – Topic: Plant Operations, Transportation, Security & Technology (Completed budgets due to Business Office by February 3, 2021)
February 16-19, 2021: Individual budget meetings with Central Office and PPS, Curriculum & Instruction, Special Programs and BOCES
March 1, 2021: Submission of Tax Cap Calculation Information and District’s Calculation of Tax Levy limit to OSC, NYSED, NYS Taxation and Finance
March 4, 2021: BoE Meeting – Topic: Building Principal budgets with enrollment projections and Athletics. (Completed budgets due to Business Office by February 17, 2021)
March 18, 2021: BoE Meeting – Topic: Curriculum/Staff Development, PPS, Special Programs, and BOCES (Completed budgets due to Business Office by March 3, 2021)
March 30, 2021: First legal notice of school budget hearing and budget, must advertise 4 times.
April 19, 2021: Deadline for submission of voter initiated propositions to be placed on the ballot (45 days before the election)
April 6, 2021: BoE Meeting – Instructional & Support Staffing, Benefits & District wide expenditures. Finalize budget proposal.(Complete budgets due to Business Office by March 17, 2021)
April 19, 2021: Deadline for submission of petitions for BOE candidates to be placed on the ballot. (30 days prior to budget vote)
April 19, 2021: Inform candidates of legal requirement for all candidates for election to BOE to sworn statement of campaign expenses.
April 19, 2021: Prepare absentee ballot applications, absentee ballot, related envelopes, and directions.
April 20, 2021: BoE Meeting & Budget Adoption by the Board of Education
April 20, 2021: Drawing by District Clerk for determination of order of
candidates on ballot.
April 21, 2021: Property Tax Report card due to SED and to official newspaper (end of next business day after budget adoption)
April 23, 2021: FINAL legal date for budget adoption by Board of Education
April 29, 2021: 3-part budget document with required attachments made available upon request and distributed in various locations (at least 7 days before Budget Hearing and not less than 14 days before the Annual Budget Vote).
May 6, 2021: Budget hearing – 3 part budget document with required attachments available.
May 11, 2021: Voter Registration Day
May 12, 2021: 6-day notice mailed to eligible voters
May 12, 2021: Sworn statement by candidates for election to BOE received by District Clerk.
May 17, 2021: District Clerk must maintain a list of names of those residents who were given absentee ballots.
May 18, 2021: Annual meeting and budget vote.
June 8, 2021: Sworn statement by candidates for election to BOE received by District Clerk.
Additional meeting dates with budget builders and the Board of Education may be added at a later date.
If budget is defeated
May 27, 2021: Budget document: 3 part statement with required attachments made available upon request, at each school building, at district office, free library, and on district’s website at least 7 days before hearing and 14 days before the budget revote.
June 1, 2021: Publish legal notice for budget revote one each week in the 2 weeks before revote day, first publication 14 days before revote
June 3, 2021: Budget Hearing (7 – 14 days before budget revote day) 3 – part budget statement must be available at hearing.
June 9, 2021: Budget notice mailed to eligible voters
June 15, 2021: Statewide budget revote day
Budget Hearing
A budget hearing was held on May 6. Watch the recording of this meeting:
Budget Newsletter
A budget newsletter is mailed to every district address. A digital copy is also available.
Budget Presentations
As the budget planning process progresses, the district will share presentations during specific regular Board meetings. Board meetings are live streamed to the public on the district’s YouTube channel. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. A list of these presentation dates is below; and the presentations will be linked below as they are completed.
January 7: The budget process and overview
February 4: The financial cliff
February 18: Plant Ops, Security and Transportation
March 4: School Buildings and Athletics
March 18:
April 6:
April 20:
Voter Registration/Absentee Ballots
For more information about voting in school elections, including how to register and how to request an absentee ballot, please visit the Voting in School Elections webpage.
Voter Registration Day
The district will hold a Voter Registration Day on May 11 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Robert J. Kaiser Middle School, Cornelius Duggan Community Center and Emma C. Chase Elementary School.
This is also the last day to register to vote in the 2021-22 school budget election. For more information on eligibility and registration, visit the Voting in School Elections webpage.
Voting Locations
Thompson/Monticello – District #1
Robert J. Kaiser Middle School
45 Breakey Avenue, Monticello, NY 12701
Bethel – District #2
Duggan Community Center
3460 Route 55, White Lake, NY 12786
Mamakating – District #3
Emma C. Chase School
28 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wurtsboro, NY 12790
Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions at the Rock Hill Fire Department and Forestburgh Town Hall, the 2021-22 school budget vote will only take place at district-owned polling locations: Robert J. Kaiser Middle School, Duggan Community Center and the Emma C. Chase Elementary School.
Voters in the Rock Hill and Forestburgh districts will vote at the Robert J. Kaiser Middle School.
If you have a question about where you should vote, call 845-794-7700, ext. 70523