Amid revived talks of closing one elementary school, the Scotia-Glenville Central School District’s Board of Education has selected a new budget proposal to put before voters in June.
Last week, residents voted down the school board’s original $67 million budget proposal that would have raised the tax levy by 5.09 percent. Now, the board is considering a leaner spending plan, while reviving discussions about possibly closing an elementary school to save money in future years.
In a 4-3 vote Tuesday, the board advanced a $66 million plan that would raise the levy by 3.25 percent. The new budget proposal does away with two reading teachers and a librarian – positions the board has fought to keep since budget talks began. But it also prevents cuts to the district’s Buildings and Grounds staff, coaches, and transportation that would have been made to save the staff positions.
Board President Harold Talbot said failing to fully fund the facilities budgets would create too many uncertainties for the district in Schenectady County.
“Option A has way too many what-ifs, we’re cutting $168,730 dollars out of building and grounds, we’re cutting $150,000 from transportations, where half of that is mandated that we're required to do that, where are we going to get that money to do that,” he said.
Talbot voted to axe the two reading teachers and librarian positions.
“It doesn't leave us what-if scenario type things. If something were to happen, we can be as silly as to say we’ve had 10 days of rain in a row and our fields are 4 feet tall, but yet we have nobody to go and mow them, I get it, might be a silly thing but we don’t have any room there.”
This year’s protracted budget process has prompted district officials to renew talks about closing one of Scotia-Glenville’s four elementary schools as a potential cost-saving measure in the face of declining enrollment.
In the wake of the failed budget vote, some community members say the board should revisit the idea.
Amy Marlette, a resident of the Village of Scotia for 10 years, was shocked by the board’s decision.
“Because we started on February 10th giving them other things to do, hence closing one of our four elementary schools because of our low enrollment and they fought and fought and fought for these two reading teachers and this librarian and now tonight, because its such a bare bones, like we’re not going to be able to cut the grass with what was presented with Option A, it’s very interesting that now, we are willing to give up two reading teachers and a librarian,” she said.
Marlette says the board should have considered closing a school earlier.
“We should have convened a committee back in February and pushed to close a school as of 7-1-2025 and it would have been a $2 million savings.”
Marlette may not have to wait long for a committee to be formed.
At Tuesday’s meeting, board member Emily Orr asked Superintendent Susan Swartz if repurposing one of the elementary schools is a certainty in the near future.
“I don’t see how we can’t do that, but I don’t know what you folks think, so I’m not speaking for you but I am telling you when we are bringing in 132 kindergarteners when we used to bring in 200 or 210, I don’t think it is fiscally responsible to continue to have four schools open,” she said.
Swartz says she sees the current budget proposal as a bridge to allow time to weigh big decisions, such as shuttering a school.
“We're going to have to get serious about repurposing a school and reimagining what Scotia could look like,” she said.
While 55% of voters supported the initial budget proposal, that mark fell short of the 60% state-required threshold when a proposed budget would raise the tax levy by more than 3.25 percent. The latest plan can pass with simple majority support.
The board will hold a public hearing on the new plan on June 9th.
The budget re-vote is June 17th.
