LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Working without the benefit of forthcoming state aid figures, Sullivan West Central School Superintendent Dr. Nancy Hackett provided the board of education with a forecast for the district’s fiscal future on December 17.

Her presentation aimed to prepare the board for its assignment, starting in January, to examine costs associated with every program and facility in order to develop a budget for the 2016-17 school year.

“The board’s goal in the budget process is to provide the resources the district needs to meet the cultural expectations of the community and equitable educational opportunity for all students at a price that taxpayers can afford,” Hackett said.

Out of the eight school districts in Sullivan County, Sullivan West’s current annual spending plan ranks it directly in the middle.

The 2015-16 budgets are: Monticello, $82.6 million; Liberty, $43 million; Fallsburg, $40.4 million; Sullivan West, $36.1 million; Tri-Valley, $31.4 million; Eldred, $16.6 million; Livingston Manor, $15.9 million; and Roscoe, $8.3 million.

The local tax levy changes for Sullivan West over the past nine years have ranged from a decrease of 5.8% in 2007-08 to an increase of 4.5% in 2008-09.

This year saw an increase of .07% in the total amount of property taxes the school district had to collect to balance the budget after accounting for all other revenue sources including state aid. That tax levy is the basis for determining the tax rate for each of the towns and villages that make up the school district.

Hackett said that the district has managed to contain costs and taxes in recent years through cooperative bidding, contract negotiations including personnel and transportation, and staff realignments that are considered whenever a position is vacated.

State law allows a district to keep only 4% of its budget as unappropriated funds for the following year.

“Beyond this 4% limit, the only way that school districts can be prepared for possible expenses beyond the approved annual school budget is through creating and maintaining reserve funds,” Hackett said.

At Sullivan West, eight reserve fund accounts are established for tax certiorari judgments and claims, workers compensation benefit claims, unemployment claims, accrued employee benefits payable upon termination, retirement contributions, non-recurring repairs to capital improvements or equipment, a capital project reserve that voters must approve, and a mandatory reserve for the outstanding bond debt that resulted from the sale of the Delaware Valley building.

While the amount of state aid is currently unknown, Hackett said future budget drivers include a desire to maintain the faculty, staff, programs and services the district currently has; implement new state curricula such as the Common Core and unfunded mandates; provide remedial and compensatory academic services to struggling students; retain effective instructional initiatives; and continue offering the current 17 college-level programs available to high school students.

“It’s quite a wish list, isn’t it?” she said.