Lyme-Old Lyme school board OKs budget with 0.49 percent hike
Old Lyme — The Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education unanimously approved on Wednesday a 2017-18 schools budget of $33.63 million, which represents a 0.49 percent increase over this year's budget.
Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser said during a public forum Wednesday that the proposed schools spending plan represents the "lowest budget increase on record in the towns of Lyme and Old Lyme."
Areas of increase in next year's budget include contractual salaries and instructional programming, according to Neviaser's presentation.
Neviaser said certified salaries are increasing, but less so than in previous years, as the district saved money by making some strategic replacements after employees retired or left the district.
In addition, the district is anticipating a reduction in employee benefits for next year.
Instructional programming costs are set to increase, largely due to the replacement of teachers' aging laptops and a new or updated kindergarten-through-fifth-grade math program, according to the presentation.
Special education costs will decrease next year. The district had seen a significant increase in special education costs for the current year's budget. But, for next year, the number of students requiring services outside of the district is expected to decrease.
The category of support services will decrease slightly, while transportation costs will rise slightly, based on the district's contract with the bus company, according to the presentation. Debt service will continue to decrease.
The budget proposes reductions in two middle-school certified staff members to account for a student enrollment decline, Neviaser said.
The spending plan includes a third kindergarten section at the Mile Creek School, which will bring the number of kindergarten sections in the district from four to five, due to a projected increase in students, he said.
The budget maintains the district's class size guidelines, continues academic and extracurricular activities, provides adequate funding for maintenance and repairs of buildings and grounds, and provides technology infrastructure enhancements, including server and network upgrades, and the continued replacement of Sound Field systems, according to the presentation.
For facilities projects, the district intends to install window air-conditioning units at the middle school and Lyme Consolidated School; add pathway lighting at the district's main campus; increase the number of security cameras, particularly outside the buildings; install a concrete lacrosse practice wall; and replace the fuel tank at Lyme Consolidated School, Neviaser said.
A district budget hearing and a referendum on the education budget will be held in the spring.
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