Pleasant Vy. has 1.4% tax hike

Pleasant Valley’s board of education unanimously approved a final budget Thursday night calling for a 1.4% tax increase in 2019-2020.

The budget passed 6-2, with Russell Gould and Robert Serfass voting against it.

Business manager Susan Famularo, the budget includes about $100 million in revenue and $103.1 million in expenditures, leaving a $3.1 million deficit to be covered by the district’s fund balance.

The 1.4%, or 2-mill, property tax increase adds $630,000 to Pleasant Valley’s revenue and will result in a $42 increase to the average district property owner.

Qualifying homestead or farmstead owners will see a $500.75 reduction on the tax bill thanks to state gaming money.

New budget initiatives in 2019-20 include adding a full-day kindergarten program, which will cost just over $888,000; implementing Project Lead The Way with pathways in engineering, computer science and biomedical at a cost of $148,196; adding two math coaches (K-6 and K-12) at $90,506 each with salary and benefits; adding four building substitutes for a total of $330,291 and additional department chairpersons for $26,293.

Director Laura Jecker said she hoped the district would also fund supplies for students such as paper, pencils, glue, etc.

“If we can’t do that, I’ll personally make sure we get a collection started in the community to get the teachers the supplies they need for our students,” Jecker said.

Other votes

In other business Thursday night, the board approved several new hires including Christina Ciaravino, gifted teacher, $44,963; Jennifer Clayton, first grade teacher, $44,963; Nicholas Courtney, kindergarten teacher, $44,063; Stephanie Gursky, second grade teacher, $46,363; Krystallyn McCutchan, kindergarten teacher, $44,063; Brooke Moatz, second grade teacher, $44,063; Kristina O’Connell, kindergarten teacher, $44,063; and Sarah Derrick, librarian and English as a second language, $44,063.

The board also awarded several contracts including to Johnson Controls, $24,143.39, for additional and upgraded security cameras to the interior of the high school, which will be funded by an Act 44 grant; and to Sargent Enterprises, Inc. $9,850, for select demolition at Pleasant Valley High School.