Westfield Academy and Central School Board of Education members learned at their supplemental meeting last month that the district has made several reductions to the proposed 2024-25 budget, in order to achieve a minimal tax increase.

District Superintendent Michael Cipolla told the board that, after much discussion, the administration, budget committee and business office have arrived at necessary reductions in the proposed budget.

The total amount of reductions at a departmental level since the February supplemental meeting totals about $120,000, Cipolla said. After these were made, the projected increase from the current budget is $490,025 or about 2.70 percent, he said.

Cipolla told the board that the position of an additional special education teacher, which was proposed at the Feb. 26 meeting, has been removed. “The addition of a special ed teacher would allow us to offer better resources and smaller caseloads,” Director of Curriculum Lauren Harper said at that meeting. However, Cipolla said, the district has achieved this goal without adding a new position.

Cipolla said the paving of the bus garage has been eliminated from the budget.“‘If we have to move to an electric bus fleet, we would be paving where the charging stations might be,” he said.

Cipolla also told the board that the district was able to cut spending on supplies and materials by $5,500 and spending on travel and conferences by $2,000.

District Business Administrator Josh Melquist also reviewed several items that were removed from the budget. These items include: A John Deere tractor for $30,000; paving for the north and south ends of the pole barn for a total of $24,500; BOCES in-service training for $15,964; and regular instruction costs totaling $25,283.

Melquist went on to say that there might be additional decreases before the budget is finalized. The district just learned that the worker’s compensation insurance has decreased slightly, and health insurance will be fluid until the end of March, he said. “I expect the budget to go down a little bit more,” he said.

In other business, board president Wendy Dyment reviewed BOCES board nominations. She told board members that she received a letter from incumbent Sylvester Cleary asking for support. Subsequently, the board officially nominated Cleary for a seat on the BOCES board.

Dyment reminded board members that there will be a WACS Special Board of Education Meeting for the Vote for BOCES board members and the BOCES administrative budget on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Dyment also asked the board to discuss a memorial for past board member Jeanne Habig, who passed away on Friday, March 22. Habig was a WACS board member for 27 years. She also coached Westfield youth soccer, volunteered at Patterson Library, Westfield VFW Auxiliary, Westfield Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and several other organizations, Dyment said.

Board members discussed options for a memorial and Dyment noted that the obituary asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials in Jeanne’s name may be sent to the Patterson Library.

“It sounds like the family is advocating Patterson Library donations,” said board member Tom Tarpley.

It was suggested that the board purchase a memorial brick, which is a lasting tribute, and also send a donation to Patterson Library. Board members agreed with this plan.

“‘We can come up with an amount and I will send a card to the family and let them know what we are going to do,” Dyment said.

The board also received a report on district enrollment, which showed 644 students enrolled for the 2023-24 school year, with the highest number of students, 57, in grade 10. Cipolla told the board the number of students has just gone up.

“‘Over the past two days, we gained four students,” he said. “‘We added one in secondary and three in elementary.”

During the period of public comment, Jerry Kinney, trap club coach at Fredonia, addressed the board regarding the possibility of Westfield students joining the Fredonia Central School district Trap Team. Kinney requested the board permit two interested students from Westfield participate with the Fredonia trap team.

Kinney noted that there have been zero injuries in trap, while students in different sports have suffered concussions and other injuries.

“Trap is very controlled. We have six coaches and safeties are used until a shot is fired,” Kinney said.

Board members subsequently approved a resolution to allow Westfield Academy and Central School students to participate in the Fredonia Central School District Trap Club, effective March 25 at no cost to the Westfield Academy and Central School District.