Ossining BOE To Hold Budget Hearing May 11

OSSINING, NY — The Ossining Board of Education will hold a public hearing Tuesday on a budget proposal for 2021-22 that includes the first step in a fiscally prudent expansion of Ossining High School.

The spending plan of $139,817,795 is an increase of $2,817,546 or 2.06 percent over the current budget.

However, the proposed tax levy would not increase. The district received a record amount of additional Foundation Aid from the state, though it's still less than what it's due under the decades-old formula. Ossining will also receive $ 4,646,491 in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act funds plus $5,994,393 in American Rescue Plan funds.

The school trustees are seeking voter approval to spend $2.4 million to buy the Ossining United Methodist Church next door to the high school. The church property went on the market as district officials were mulling Ossining High School's long-term space needs.

Neither the purchase nor the renovation work would require raising taxes, district officials said. The former is included in the proposed budget and the latter could be taken from the district's existing capital reserve fund.

"The timing of this property coming onto the market when our state aid has increased substantially for next year provides a compelling opportunity for our schools and community," schools Superintendent Ray Sanchez said in a budget message.

Renovations to the property would provide much-needed parking and more instructional space.

OHS would gain a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) lab; new spaces for choral music, band and orchestra; and additional classrooms. Relocating these instructional areas from OHS would allow repurposing of existing space.

“We continue to deal with substandard instructional space at our high school, due to long-term growth and the relatively small square footage that we have compared to many of the high schools in our region," Sanchez said.

Voter approval of the purchase proposition would allow the district to work with architects, engineers and state agencies to finalize a renovation plan — and that would be put to voters during the next school year.

“Previously, our voters approved a capital reserve fund for this type of renovation, so once we have state approval, we can ask voters for their permission to use these funds for renovations,” Dr. Sanchez said. “ln other words, the money is already on hand, so like the acquisition, the renovation would not increase taxes for residents.”

The spending proposal for the coming year includes allocations for remodeling parts of the Ossining High School Library and improvements to the Anne M. Dorner Middle School, including widening the main driveway from Claremont Avenue; making changes to enable better bus circulation; replacing deteriorated curbs and sidewalks; replacing lighting; improving the field access footpath from parking lot; and renovating interior doors in the A wing.

Also on the ballot is the Ossining Library budget proposal of $4,415,490, and candidates for positions on the school board and library board.

Voters go to the polls from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 18 at Ossining High School.