Old Lyme - The Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education will hold a public forum on the proposed 2015-16 school district budget at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Lyme-Old Lyme High School Auditorium.

The school board is scheduled to vote on the budget Wednesday evening after the forum, but will decide whether to vote after taking into account public opinion, said Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser.

Overall, the proposed budget stands at $32,547,409, a 1.83 percent increase over the current year's budget.

Under the proposed budget, operating costs for the district would increase by 0.8 percent. Debt service, a component of the regional school district that owns its building and properties, is set to rise by $358,658.

Neviaser said the operating budget increase is modest, includes contractual salary increases for staff whose salaries comprise about 70 percent of the budget, and keeps or enhances the district's offerings.

"This budget does maintain and improve upon all our programs here," he said.

The debt service increase is related to the high school renovation project. Over the next 20 years, Neviaser said, the district will spend almost $18 million less in debt service than originally projected, due to factors that include better-than-expected state reimbursement and interest rates. Next year will be the only time over that period in which debt service will increase, he said.

The district is continuing its multi-year redistricting plan. During the 2015-16 school year, the Center School will hold pre-kindergarten classes and house the Central Office.

The proposed 2015-16 budget, which will be presented to the public on Wednesday, encompasses some personnel changes, in which the district would reallocate some staff members among its schools and decrease overall staff by a net of 1.7 positions.

Student enrollment is declining in many districts in Connecticut, including Lyme-Old Lyme. But Neviaser said at the high school level the district expects 30 to 40 more students next year. The proposed budget adds some staff there for physical education and elective programs, as well as a part-time English teacher.

The budget further includes about $50,000 more in special education costs, mainly due to tuition costs for placed students; an additional $7,500 to fund a program for students, from those entering sixth grade to those leaving eighth grade, at risk for failure in language arts and math; higher transportation costs and increases in employee benefits, according to a January PowerPoint presentation on the budget.

Another public hearing on the budget is slated for 7:30 p.m. April 6 at Lyme-Old Lyme High School Auditorium. The expected day for the budget referendum is May 5.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich