HFCS Sets Tax Rates

by Alex Brooks
Tax rates for the 2012-13 school year were set at the Hoosick Falls School Board meeting this month. The overall tax levy increased by 2% to $8,915,218.  The tax rate on true value is $17.52 per $1,000 of value across all the towns, but the tax rates on assessed value are different for each town. Hoosick’s tax rate was up 3.79% to $66.60 per thousand. All the other towns tax rates are down. Grafton’s is down 3.57% to $213.27 per thousand; Petersburgh’s is down 3.88% to 30.78 per thousand; Pittstown’s is down 4.36% to $27.37 per thousand, and White Creek’s is down 2.79% to $28.22 per thousand.
The tax levy has increased by a total of 8% over the last five years in an era of falling State aid. In the last four years State operating aid to the Hoosick Falls District has been reduced by a total of over 16%.
[private]The Board also transferred some funds from the unreserved fund balance to several dedicated funds. The largest was a sum of $454,000 put into the existing Capital Fund. The District is anticipating a Capital Project aimed at reducing the District’s energy costs, which may include photovoltaic electricity generation, a geothermal heating system and more efficient electrical appliances and lighting. The District is working on research and planning for this project, and the Board felt it would be prudent to put some money aside towards the cost of it.
School Superintendent Ken Facin said he feels the District’s use of oil for heating throws a wild card into the budget that he would like to eliminate. A spike in oil prices or a very cold winter or both has the potential to destabilize the District’s finances. There is also the possibility that a carefully planned energy project can largely pay for itself through reduced cost for electricity and heating. A late September workshop meeting is planned for presentations and discussion of ideas for the energy capital project. The goal, said Facin, is a stable and predictable budget.
The Board also approved putting $69,154 in the existing Reserve for Retirement Incentive Fund and $4,317 in the existing Reserve for Terminal Pay, both from the unreserved fund balance.
The Board added a half of a teaching position at this meeting, which will be dedicated to Academic Intervention Services (AIS). Specifically, Facin said the District has a weakness in grade 3-8 math, and he wants to devote more resources to helping those kids improve their math skills.  At their July meeting, the Board added a half time AIS position to an existing half-time ESL position to create a full time position. They now returned the ESL position to half time as it was before last month’s meeting and created a full time AIS position. This new position is funded by an increase in Title 1 (Federal) funding for the upcoming school year, so it does not affect the tax levy. Facin remarked that if the Federal funding were to be unavailable in future years, this position might have to be cut. He is wary of increasing staffing on a permanent basis.
The Board appointed Mario Torres to a three year probationary appointment as School Attendance Teacher. Facin said he is happy that the District was able to hire an experienced person for this position, who is familiar with the laws and legal procedures regarding truancy and disciplinary proceedings. The District has an attendance rate of approximately 95%, but for the other 5%, an experienced and energetic attendance teacher can make a big difference, said Facin.
The August School Board meeting began with a presentation from Chris Farley about the proposed Gettysburg trip he is planning for next spring. He said the trip ties in with the seventh and eighth grade curriculum. It is planned for May 2, 3 and 4. It will be the 150th anniversary of the battle there, so special activities are planned around this milestone.  The students will stay two nights next year rather than the one they stayed this year. It makes the trip more expensive, but Farley feels it will make for a more in-depth learning experience. The trip will cost $400 per student. There will be an opportunity for the students to do fundraising to help pay for their trip. Facin also asked that students who want to go but have trouble raising the money for the trip let him know so he can seek funding for them.
The School Board also approved District Goals for the upcoming school year. These are 90% passing and 40% achieving mastery on NY State standardized assessment tests, a 90% graduation rate, 90% of sixth grade students reading at grade level with 40% reading at least two grade levels above, 90% of students participating in one or more extracurricular activities and community service participation by all students.
The Board accepted a donation of $644 from the Hoosick Falls PTA for benches to be placed in the elementary school lobby area.
The next regular meeting of the Hoosick Falls School Board will be Thursday, September 20, at 7 pm in the High School Library.[/private]