Waterville Central School District residents will vote on a 2018-19 budget of $18.2 million with a tax increase of 3.14 percent.
At a WCS Board of Education meeting last week, board members finalized details of the spending plan, with the intent to vote on it at the April 17 meeting. Voters will decide on it May 15.
State aid came in better than expected as it often does during a year state lawmakers are up for election. That additional aid closed the gap between projected revenues and expenses to $77,500.
Business administrator Tracy Leone recommended covering the gap by using that amount from the district’s savings set aside solely for capital projects. Voters approved setting aside up to $575,000 for future construction projects and Leone said the reserve fund is at the limit.
Board members plan to ask voters to jump that limit up to $10 million, although it was uncertain if that could be on the May ballot or will be done in 2019.
The capital improvements include LED lighting at the Junior-Senior High School. Memorial Park School will be done next year.
Leone reminded the board that budget lines were estimates and it was possible none of the reserves will be used. As of March 31 new spending has been stopped in the district for the final three months of the budget year.
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