BERNE — School taxes for Berne-Knox-Westerlo residents will go down next year — by 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The school board Monday decided to use roughly half of extra state-aid funds to relieve the tax burden.

While some school districts in New York State created a budget dependent on increased state aid from the state legislature, BKW stayed with the governor’s initially proposed aid, and it now appears to have paid off.

After passing a state budget a week past deadline, the legislature had increased aid to BKW by about $100,000, leaving the district with a surplus. At Monday night’s, the board agreed to adopt a budget in which the surplus was split almost equally between decreasing the tax levy by about 0.5 percent and adding $53,000 to the district’s fund balance.

The process was not without conflict. Board member Lillian Sisson-Chrysler initially objected to the 50-50 split of the revenue, saying it should all go to the taxpayers. Other board members agreed with district Superintendent Timothy Mundell, who had presented the budget, and said it was necessary to balance what was used to reduce taxes in order to obtain a similar amount of aid next year.

“By being frugal, we’re trading off some state aid potential,” he explained.

“I think the taxpayers should get a break,” said Sisson-Chrysler. “You want a capital project come fall, give them less in taxes,” she added, referring to a project currently being planned by the district to be voted on in the fall. When deciding on the overall scope of the project, Sisson-Chrysler had objected to the high price tag, despite the majority of it being paid for by state aid.

“What would come off if we put it all to taxpayers?” asked board member Kim Lovell. “If we do give it all back, how is that affecting students?”

Mundell explained that it would not affect programs, but it would cause instability in the budget and possibly affect state aid next year.

Board President Matthew Tedeschi described using it all to reduce the levy as a “gamble,” because of the possibility that next year’s state aid would be less, adding that the halfway split was a compromise in that it still gave some relief to the taxpayers.

“If we give it all back, it does not affect this year’s budget,” said Tedeschi. “What we, in a sense, affect, is next year…We’re starting next year off on the wrong foot.”

“We have reserves,” said Sisson-Chrysler. “And we use very little of our reserves.”

Mundell said reserves, such as funds from the sale of the Westerlo school building to the town of Westerlo, are to be used on a set schedule.

In the gallery, Martin Szinger, who is running for a seat on the school board, asked Sisson-Chrysler why she found it more sensible to use the entirety of the surplus to reduce the levy rather than reduce the chance of less state aid in future years.

“I just feel that the taxpayers are entitled to it,” said Sisson-Chrysler.

She added that the board was shown different options that were presented in an email to them about four hours after the state passed its budget, and one option was to have the money all go to the taxpayers.

Board member Nathan Elbe, who at the meeting initially asked if there were a way to split the revenue to have more go toward the tax levy, said he agreed with the 50-50 split. He said he had first wanted to see it all go to the taxpayers when he saw the email, but now felt the district shouldn’t “see-saw back and forth” with taxes. Board member Russell Chauvot said he had no objection to what he saw as a “baseline budget.”

The budget has revenues matching expenses that amount to $22,657,493. Part of the revenue comes from $10 million in state aid, up from the $9.9 million in the governor’s proposed budget.

The budget originally had an $86,000 budget gap, which closed after the school’s insurance costs went down. This is partly due to the school’s insurance provider, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, doing away with its Matrix insurance plan.

The board unanimously adopted the budget. There will be a budget hearing at the next board of education meeting on May 8, with the budget vote the following week on May 16.

Student recognition

The meeting had opened with a presentation of awards to teachers, students, and community members. Four community members — Heidi Johnson, Omar Snow, Kathy O’Neil, and Erin Snyder — were recognized for various efforts to help the community in the school and the surrounding area. Eight staff members were recognized: Susan Conklin for 30 years of service; Carrie Becker, Diane Chrysler, Beth Davis, Annette Landry, Loretta Mahoney, and Neil McConnelee for 20 years of service; and Thomas Burke, Holly Clark, Charise Crounse, Brenda Dibble, Kamber Domermuth, Ned Greene, and Shelby Miller for 10 years of service.

Five eighth-graders and 12 ninth-graders were recognized for having a grade-point average of 95 percent or higher the previous school year. Six sophomores, 11 juniors, and eight seniors were recognized for having a grade-point average of 93 percent or higher the previous year.

However, only a handful of students came to accept a certificate of achievement, leading to a discussion later in the meeting of changing recognition ceremonies to be held at school assemblies, where students are more likely to be present and where their peers can see what they’ve accomplished.

Helen Lounsbury, another candidate for school board, spoke from the gallery about how, when she had previously served on the board, there had been a decision to switch the recognition ceremonies from school assemblies to the board meetings in the evening in order for parents to attend.

Mundell said they would plan an assembly for third-quarter honor-roll students at the start of the fourth quarter. Elementary School Principal Annette Landry asked to have the high-cumulative-average awards still held at an evening meetings for parents to attend.

Term lengths

The board also discussed changing the length of a member’s term from three years to five years, and agreed it would likely be an item voted on in the fall along with the capital project. Terms had originally been five years but were changed to three to encourage more participation.

Student representative

The board also discussed having a student serve as an ex-officio member of the school board. According to district policy, said Mundell, it would have to be given public approval via referendum. Since there needs to be 45 days notice of a referendum this would have to be voted on the fall. The board decided in the meantime to look into developing a the policy on how the student is selected.

Chauvot leaving

Speaking to The Enterprise during a break in the meeting, Chauvot confirmed that he would not pursue another term on the board. Chauvot was elected to a three-year term in 2014. He trains workers in the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance through the State University of New York, and often travels for his job. He said he has missed some school board meetings and felt it was time to step down.

“We’re in a good spot,” he said. “We’ve got good candidates.”

There are at least five candidates running for three school board seats this year.

Petitions for candidates, with 25 signatures of district residents, are due on April 17.