GREENE – Residents of the Greene Central School District will face an estimated 2 percent tax levy increase in the coming year, based on the tentative budget adopted by the district’s board of education earlier this month.
According to Superintendent Jonathan Retz, the proposed spending plan totals $23,960,520, an 0.21 percent or $49,952 increase in spending over the current year’s budget.
Developing the budget for the 2011-12 academic year was no small feat, particularly since the district faced a $2.284,636 budget gap. According to Retz, the gap was driven by a combination of state aid reductions and “significant increases” in health insurance premiums, retirement contributions and energy costs.
“This was a very difficult process. The board of education, administrative team and all staff have worked together to confront this challenge,” the superintendent said.
In order to balance the budget, the district will need to cut staff, reduce in expenditures wherever possible and raise the tax levy by the previously mentioned 2 percent.
“We are also applying just under $1 million from reserves to bridge this year’s gap,” Retz said.
The steepest cuts are in personnel. Twenty-one positions have been slated for elimination. According to the superintendent, seven of these positions – one administrator, three teachers, one teaching assistant, one teacher’s aide and one clerical – are retirements which will not be filled. In addition, nine teachers, one social worker, three teaching assistants and one teacher’s aide will lose their jobs.
“These reductions will be addressed through restructuring of existing staff,” Retz said.
The loss of these staff members will invariably lead to increased class sizes, as well as scheduling challenges, he said, but “every effort” is being made to maintain the district’s current course offerings and programs.
None of the district’s collective bargaining units have volunteered to forgo raises next year in an effort to mitigate cuts.
“Discussions were held throughout the budget development process and feedback from all staff was solicited. This was not offered by any staff unions/groups,” Retz said, adding that these discussions are ongoing.
Other cuts have also been identified. According to the superintendent, 84 percent of the school system’s budget lines were either reduced or held flat. One of those areas slated for reductions is athletics.
“At this time any reductions in sports or extracurricular activities will be driven by a lack of interest or insufficient participation numbers,” Retz said.
The number of modified teams will also be reduced, with one team being fielded when in previous years the school has had two.
Community members will have the opportunity to learn more about the tentative budget at a budget hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 9 in the Middle School/High School Auditorium. The budget vote and school board election will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17 in the MS/HS Auditorium Lobby.

Sidebar
Positions slated for elimination in the Greene Central School District’s 2011-12 budget

1  MS Principal   (retirement)
4  K-6 Teachers  (1 retirement)
1  Special Ed Teacher  (retirement)
1  Reading Teacher  (retirement)
1  Music Teacher
1  Health Teacher
1  Art Teacher
1  Foreign Language Teacher
1  Physical Ed Teacher
1  7-12 Math Teacher
1  Social Worker
4  Teaching Assistants  (1 retirement)
2  Teacher Aides  (1 retirement)
1  Clerical  (1 retirement)