NEWPORT — Voters will go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots on the Newport School District’s 14 article warrant for 2018-19
The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Newport Opera House.
After a major reduction of $591,564 to the proposed 2018-19 operating budget at the earlier Deliberative Session, Article 3 now requests $18,050,000 to cover operating expenses.
Should this article be defeated, the default budget will be $18,076,388.
Initially the Newport School Board did not recommend the reduced appropriation but at a later meeting gave its approval, as did the Budget Advisory Committee.
Should the budget article fail at the polls, the default budget will be $26,388 higher at $18,076,388.
A proposed collective bargaining agreement between the Newport School Board and Newport Teacher’s Association for 2018-19 seeks an additional $140,382. Article 6 requests support of an increase of $92,311 for the Newport Support Staff to cover changes in salaries, benefits and contract obligations at the current staffing level.
Article 8 requests $233,000 for an Autism Program to include classroom renovations and staffing in the Newport Middle High School.
An appropriation of $125,000 is sought in Article 9 to provide funding for unanticipated educational services to students who are placed Out-of-District. These funds are projected to come from the Unanticipated Educational Services Expendable Trust Fund with no additional amount to be raised by taxes.
If Article 10 passes, a van and bus for transportation will be purchased using $101,000 from the Transportation Capital Reserve Fund and no amount will be raised by taxes.
The School Board and Budget Advisory Committee has recommended passage of Article 11 authorizing the Newport School Board to enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement in conjunction with a town solar energy project.
In Article 12, the School Board is looking for voter approval allowing for the retention of year-end unassigned general funds in an amount not to exceed in any fiscal year, 2.5 percent of the current fiscal year’s net assessment. Such fund balance can only be used to reduce the tax rate or for emergencies to be approved by the Department of Education.
Article 13 requests $50,000 to be added to the Unanticipated Educational Services Expendable Trust Fund. This sum will come from the June 30 fund balance available for transfer on July 1. Article 14 asks for voter approval to appropriate up to $50,000 to be added to the Transportation Capital Reserve Fund with no additional amount to be raised from taxation.
Article 14 seeks $50,000 to be added to the Transportation Capital Reserve Fund to come from the fund balance available for transfer on July 1 with no additional amount to be raised from taxation.
There are no contested elections on the ballot. School Board member seeking re-election include Virginia Irwin, Ann Spencer and Rhonda Callum-King. William Howard Dunn is uncontested for Moderator as is Robert Scott for School Clerk and School Treasurer.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.