The Poultney Board of School Directors and administrators strive to responsibility balance the educational needs of Poultney students with the increasing costs of education for taxpayers. The Board hosted a special meeting on January 6, 2015 in order to gain input from taxpayers and exchange information pertaining to the budget process.
The budget process requires a host of decisions. The budget must be finalized before the end of January since the law requires the budget to be warned thirty days before it is voted on Town Meeting Day. After careful consideration the third draft of the budget is up slightly over 4%. Many factors contribute to this increase. The largest factors are increased special education costs both at the elementary level (18.68%) and at the secondary level (6.11%). There have been an increased number of students with disabilities and students with more intense needs that we are required by law to provide services
What are the other factors you would like to mention?
Poultney School District did end Fiscal Year 14 with a surplus of $270,928 ($162,000 greater that FY 13) as a result of a variety of elements including:
• Personnel and Benefit savings due to staffing changes
• SU assessment refund due to SU surplus
• Preschool Tuition savings as a result of fewer students
• Savings from supplies, books, and professional services
The School Board is deliberating whether to use the entire amount of the surplus toward revenue for FY 16 (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016). Using the entire surplus would lower the educational spending amount (the amount to be raised by taxes) to a 0.96% increase. While this may seem like a good idea, if there is not a large surplus in ensuing years to help decrease the tax rate, the rates will spike. One alternative is to designate a portion of the surplus into a Tax Stabilization Fund. If the Board were to create a Tax Stabilization Fund, it would require voter approval by placing an article on the warning. The benefit for Poultney taxpayers is that rather than having the tax rate spike up or down yearly (depending on the amount or existence of any surplus), the Board could use the stabilization fund to maintain the tax rate at a more stable rate. Monies placed into a Tax Stabilization Fund could only be used for this purpose.
The next meeting of the Poultney Board of School Directors is at 6:00pm on Tuesday, January 20th at Poultney High School. The Board plans to approve the FY16 Budget at this meeting and they welcome your input. If you are unable to attend this meeting but would like the Board to hear your input, please feel free to give them a call prior to the meeting date.
Respectfully,
Joan Paustian
Superintendent

Oct 15, 2024, 6 to 7:30 PM

Oct 18, 2024, 7:30 to 9:30 PM

Oct 20, 2024, 1 to 3 PM