Somers Board of Education examines proposed budget

SOMERS, N.Y. - Somers school trustees have taken their first deep dive into the details of the district’s proposed 2025-2026 budget.

Having been given a “high-level” overview of the spending plan in December, Board of Education members were subsequently tutored on non-instructional items under headings that ranged from audit, legal and insurance, technology, and buildings and grounds to transportation, employee benefits, and safety/security.

To be addressed at its Tuesday, Feb. 11, meeting are instructional costs. Those include teacher salaries and benefits, supplies, curriculum development, student assessment, technology, and extracurricular activities.

“There are still some unknowns, but we’re getting a little further along in the process,” said Chris Platania, assistant superintendent for business and operations, prefacing his Tuesday, Jan. 21, budget presentation.

First up were projected audit, legal and insurance expenditures.

The district retains legal counsel and auditors to handle its affairs and to provide advice for the Board of Education and the administration. It also has insurance to cover costs associated with such things are commercial property/fire, general liability, cybercrime, excess catastrophe liability, and student accidents.

The current budget line totals $654,770. That’s proposed to rise to $746,798 in 2025-2026.

The biggest increase was for insurance. In 2024-2025 that came to $469,540, and in the proposed plan, it’s budgeted at $559,048.

That’s not unique to Somers.

“It’s been happening across the state with some of these insurance companies,” explained Platania, adding that the district intends to monitor the situation and see if “there are any opportunities out there to really drive some of those costs down.”

Audit/ legal costs will remain basically the same between 2024-2025 ($185,230) and 2025-2026 ($187,750).

Technology

Technology expenditures include salaries, equipment, service agreements and contracts, supplies, software, BOCES services, and lease purchases.

The total budget for 2024-2025 was $3.7 million; the proposed 2025-2026 plan calls for a slightly lower sum: $3.4 million.

Platania made special note of the changes in the service agreements/other contractual and BOCES services lines.

The former went down to $324,660 in 2024-2025 from its previous $874,995 and then jumped way up to $1.2 million in the proposed 2025-2026 budget.

In 2023-2024, BOCES services cost $455,262; this year, that amounted to $1.6 million. The proposed budget has that at $382,525.

Why the shift in numbers?

That’s because Somers used to pay its technology vendor directly but was planning to move it over to BOCES this year.

“However, late in June or early July, we were notified that that was no longer possible, so we had to pivot that back to the other contractual line. So that’s why you see the big changes in each one of those lines,” Platania explained.

It wasn’t something the district was “expecting at the last minute,” but fortunately it was able to extend its contract with (computer consultants) EduTek this year,” he said, adding that the district has recently put out, and received, Request for Proposals (RFPs).
Final numbers should be in hand by the board’s February meeting.

Kim Blau, director of technology and learning systems, presented a “sampling” of services provided, including the “1:1 student device program.”

There will be some changes made over this summer.

For instance, fifth graders will be getting Dell Latitude computers instead of iPads.

After discussing things with teachers, the department agreed the Dell devices were more age appropriate.

“You know, the kids are getting bigger. The (iPad) keyboards are quite small for them to do what they have to do in the classrooms,” Blau said, adding that the Dells “will provide a smoother transition into middle school.”

Blau also highlighted the district’s infrastructure support program. Now in its fourth year, it covers network design, maintenance, and long-term planning.

One classroom at the high school still needs to be upgraded. The next big push is at the intermediate school, where tech will be replacing the core switch, the backbone” of the network, doing things to improve connectivity and performance such as adding wireless access points, and replacing back-up power sources and some wiring.

Tech services also include: VolP telephone services, the review and enforcement of state education law, state data warehousing and mandated reporting, cyber security support, hardware/software support, onboarding of technology for new students and staff, and overall support for students, parents, and staff.

Besides the iPads and Dell computers, the tech department leases and/or purchases MacBook Air computers, iMacs, Surface Pros, printers, BenQ displays, APC batteries, switches and MDF/IDF replacements, and an “uninterruptable power supply.”

Buildings & Grounds 

Platania drew everyone’s attention to the increase in the buildings and grounds budget for service agreements and contracts from $253,703 (2023-2024 budget) to $374,161 (2024-2025).

In the proposed 2025-2026 budget that line goes down a little, to $355,821.

He attributed the additional costs this year to water testing mandates. The district had called for bids on the project and now has “an actual number for what that’s costing us moving forward.”

Safety and security costs are incorporated in the buildings and grounds budget.

Those are expected to rise to $902,616 in 2025-2026 from the current $879,173.

They take care of inspecting oil tanks, fire extinguishers/alarms, and boilers; water testing, and electrical/plumbing/carpentry/HVAC work.

The security staff consists of a safety and security coordinator and four School Resource Officers (SROs). The buildings and grounds staff includes one director of facilities, 24 custodians, seven maintenance workers, one courier, and one administrative assistant.

Including salaries, equipment, utilities, supplies and repairs, the total building and grounds budget for 2025-2026 is expected to rise to $7.1 million from the current $6.9 million.

Director of Facilities Christopher McCartney talked a bit about the district’s “talented and dedicated” maintenance workers who are responsible for taking care of four school buildings and campuses which encompass about 600,000 square feet of space and 55 acres of land.

The custodial staff has also been doing “a spectacular job,” he said.

The district is mandated to test for lead in its drinking and cooking water. Results have to be in by the end of 2025.

An outside environmental company is currently taking “first draw” samples at SIS and SMS and later this year at PES and SHS. Approximately 350 to 400 taps will be tested.

The second big inspection coming up involves compliance with the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), which requires all public and private elementary and secondary schools to have outside testing labs reinspect previously identified and assumed asbestos-containing building materials every three years.

The district conducts its own asbestos surveillance every six months as well.

Safety & Security 

Altaris’s Dan Corrado, the district’s safety and security coordinator, was up next.

“Our four SROs are all doing a wonderful job. They are very much woven into the fabric of each of the buildings,” he said, explaining that they work closely with building leaders and the district’s administration on safety and security issues.

There are also afternoon and evening security guards.

The state requires school districts to conduct eight evacuation drills and four lockdown drills. Six of the former and two of the latter have to be done before the winter break and the second set before the end of the school year.

The two lockdown drills scheduled in December had to be rescheduled because of “two incidents (elsewhere in the nation) that took place the day before that raised anxiety in the community.”

“We thought it was a bad idea for us to continue with those drills on the following day,” he added.

Instead, the district ran the drills, not with the whole buildings, but just with the cafeterias during lunchtime.

“I think that went over very well. The students got a chance to participate in kind of a practice drill that they don’t normally have during those time slots,” Corrado said.

This year, the state mandated that communities have to be given a seven-day heads up before each drill.

Administrators have been posting those notifications on ParentSquare, a communication platform, and in their Friday flyers, he said.

Buildings are monitored “24/7” for fire and intrusion. There are about 300 cameras that were installed through the last big safety and security project. It is also responsible for the secure visitor management and “buzz-in” systems as well as swipe card access for interior and exterior doors.

Corrado said that he and the SROs constantly assess the security situation. Recently discovered was a “blind spot” at SMS. That was resolved by adding two new cameras over the holiday break.

After getting complaints about sound quality, they upgraded SMS’s speaker system.

“It made a world of difference,” Corrado said.

Altaris is updating -- and making sure everyone is aware of -- the district’s and buildings’ emergency response plans.

Transportation 

Somers has 34 in-district and 17 out-of-district school bus routes. It transports students approximately 680,000 miles each year.

The transportation budget is currently $6 million and change. The proposed bottom line for 2025-2026 is $6.2 million.

Platania reminded the board that the district contracts with Royal Coach Lines to transport students to and from schools for athletic games/practices, co-curricular activities, and field trips.

(Royal Coach has 51 part-time drivers, one terminal manager, one dispatcher, one safety manager, and two mechanics.)

That’s the largest transportation cost. It currently is budgeted for $5.3 million and proposed at $5.6 million for the upcoming school year.

The 22 part-time bus monitors are, however, employees of the district. Their salaries -- and those for the transportation director and office support -- are currently budgeted at $630,991; in 2025-2026, that’s estimated at $611,029.

The lower amount is attributed to the elimination of two redundant bus monitor positions.

Trustee Dr. Ifay Chang asked about bus monitoring training.

They undergo two-hour refresher courses twice a year, are given de-escalation lessons as well as effective student management training, Platania said, adding that this year the district it is continuing to give additional training for monitors regarding students with special needs, especially those who are non-verbal.

Bus drivers go through similar training, he said, adding that if there were other things the district wanted Royal Coach to do, it “could make suggestions,” he said.

The cost of fuel is included in Royal Coach’s contract. It’s calculated based on the routes – for home to school transit. If it goes above that amount because of athletic or field trips, for instance, then it goes on the company’s tab.

Platania estimated that, for this year, the district is budgeted for around 80,000 gallons of gas – mostly diesel -- in total.

It has conservatively set $3.25 as the per-gallon price. But that’s higher than what it’s currently paying because it gets the “state price,” for fuel, which is usually much less than what it is at the pumps, he said.

A couple of years ago, Somers became of the first districts to partner with BusPatrol, a Virginia-based tech firm, on a “stop-arm” camera program.

It didn’t cost the district anything to install or maintain the cameras, which record and identify (by license plate number) folks who illegally pass school buses.

The initiative has since been adopted by Westchester County and the ticketing system “went live” last October.

So far 24 tickets have been issued in Somers.

The district doesn’t get a cut of the ticket revenue but that’s irrelevant.

“Our main priority is just to stop people from passing when the buses have their stop signs out,” Platania explained.

Benefits

Finally, the board was filled in on Platania’s “favorite” part of the budget – benefits.

The NYS Employee Retirement System (ERS) covers all “non-certified” employees such as teacher aides, monitors, custodians, maintenance personnel, and office staff.

That benefit line’s only going up “a little bit” -- to $1,337,833 from the current $1,324,671 -- even though the amount that the district has to contribute is expected to rise to 16.5 percent from 15.2 percent.

The NYS Teachers Retirement System (TRS) expense line is increasing to $4,435,456 from $4,338,153. That’s for certified staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, administrators, etc.

The contribution rate hasn’t been set yet. Currently, it’s 10.11 percent. 

Subsequently the rate was set at 9.59 percent, Platania said.

Social Security, now $4,063,155, is anticipated to be $4,174,143 in 2025-2026.

Health insurance – including Medicare and buy-outs – now coming in at $16,772,997 will rise to $17,345,841.
The Empire Plan, for teachers only, is calculated on the calendar year. For 2025, that aggregate increase came in at 2.75 percent – a number that “was much better than in previous years,” Platania said.

But for the 2026 calendar year, the district is expecting to see an increase of between 12 percent to 14 percent.

The district is budgeting for that big of a hike because it doesn’t want to get caught short.

“That would not only hurt us for the current year, but it would hurt us when we’re budgeting for the next because we’re playing from behind already,” he explained.

The Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES health benefits consortium covers all other employees. That projected increase is 3.9 percent in this fiscal year.

Superintendent Harry LeFevre pointed out that it’s outside agencies that have control over the rates and not the district.