The Board of Education (BOE's) projected surplus of funds in its operating budget is estimated at $790,000, according to a "conservative" projection by Business Administrator Kevin Kane.
This surplus of funds, the amount, where it goes and when, has been the subject of many discussions and debates at recent budget public hearings and on the Clinton Patch.
Of the projected $790,000, the BOE voted unanimously to appropriate $167,191 for future capital projects. The remaining amount will go back to the town, as was decided by the board at a special meeting held June 6. School board representatives will go before the Board of Finance at their (the BOF's) June 11 meeting.
The capital projects include:
Joel School: lighting upgrades for parking lots and walkways ($27,000) and windows for the music room ($7,500)
Eliot School: boiler pump upgrade ($47,000) and hot water heater replacement ($8,000)
District Camera Upgrades: $41,500 for Joel, Pierson and Morgan Schools
Technology Upgrades: $36,191 total for 35 classroom workstations and 4 Mimio packages at Joel; 1 Mimio Vote, 8 Mimio Tablets and 5 Ipads for the reading lab at Pierson; 6 mounted Smart Boards at the Eliot School
Where did the surplus come from?
The project surplus (deficits) in the operating budget came from the following areas:
Employee Medical: ($475,000) savings due to changes in the insurance plan and enrollment shifts.
Salaries: ($200,000) due to changes in personnel including 10 certified retirements, 4 classified retirements and other resignations.
Heating Fuel and Gas: ($100,000) due to a mild winter
Photocopying: ($40,000) due to a new copier contract
Liability insurance: ($38,000)
Snow plowing: ($12,000) due to mild winter
There are two increases that bring the above total of $865,000 in surpluses down to $790,000. They include $25,000 for electricity and $50,000 for bus (regular) transportation due to higher gas and diesel costs.
