Kendall’s proposed school budget includes school resource officer
District won’t be increasing taxes in 2018-19
KENDALL – The Board of Education approved a $17,367,477 school budget on Wednesday that will go before voters on May 15.
The budget reduces spending and doesn’t increase taxes. It also includes $100,000 for a school resource officer. Kendall will keep its security staff and wants to have a deputy from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office devoted to the school.
Julie Christensen, the district superintendent, said Kendall is seeking $50,000 in state funding to help offset the cost of the resource officer. If the district doesn’t receive the grant, Christensen said school officials still plan to have a deputy working full-time out of the district. Kendall will be the second district in Orleans County with a full-time resource officer. Medina contracts with the Medina Police Department to have an officer assigned to the school district.
Overall spending in the Kendall budget is down from $17,415,783 in 2017-18. The tax levy, what the district collects in taxes, will remain the same at $4,715,842. However, the tax rate will decrease from $17.04 to $17.02 per $1,000 of assessed property due to a boost in the tax base.
Kendall’s spending is down because it has less costs with BOCES next year, and also will be spending less in transportation.
In addition to the school resource officer, Kendall is adding a Lego team in the FIRST Lego League (there will be an information meeting May 10 at 6 p.m.). The Lego teams use robotics to program a robot to do tasks. Kendall also has added a trap shooting team this spring.
Christensen and the Board of Education will go over the budget during a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on May 2 at the Kendall Jr/Sr High School Library.
