May 17, 2011
Berne-Knox-Westerlo district residents voted down the 2011-12 school budget Tuesday, May 17, by 28 votes. A total of 930 people cast a ballot, with 479 voting "no" and 451 voting "yes." The proposed $20,917,977 budget reflected a 6.49 percent spending increase and a 3.51 percent tax levy increase.
Also on May 17, BKW residents approved the 2011-12 school bus purchase proposition by 118 votes, with 404 voting "no" and 522 voting "yes." The proposal was for two 28-passenger wheelchair buses and one 66- passenger bus, totaling $230,000.
Elected to serve three-year terms on the Board of Education beginning July 1, 2011 were Maureen Sikule with 519 votes and Vasilios Lefkaditis with 501 votes. Write-in candidate votes include: David Lendrum, 205 votes; Gerald Larghe, 79 votes; Joseph Shahem, 1 vote; Norray, 1 vote; Leo Vane, 1 vote; and 2 votes were voids.
When a proposed school budget is defeated at the polls, state law gives the school board three options. Board members may decide to put the same budget up for vote a second time, put a revised budget up for vote, or go directly to a contingent budget.
If residents vote down a budget a second time, the board must adopt a contingent budget.
The maximum size allowed by law for a contingent budget is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase. This year the contingent budget cap is 1.92 percent. Other rules for contingent budgets are as follows:
• A contingent budget cannot include money for
furniture, equipment or food program subsidy.
• The administrative proportion of a contingent budget cannot be larger
than it was the previous year.
• A contingent budget does not contain salary adjustments for non-union
personnel or allow for non-essential maintenance
• Under a contingent budget, the district would also need to charge for
public use of school buildings and grounds.
The Board of Education will meet on May 23 to decide the next step.
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