The evening of 2024-02-27 was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education (BoE), and Program Budget Advisory Council (PBAC).
Full disclosure: I sit on the PBAC, so some of these Observations aren’t exactly from the Audience. Before they got to the budget presentations there were a number of items discussed.
For the swimmers out there, you’ll be glad to know the new pool pump is here. Should be installed Thursday. Then they will need to refill the pool, conduct some tests, etc. While no date was committed to, I heard it ‘should be open within a week’. Which led to a number of ‘two weeks‘ jokes.
Gene (Superintendent) mentioned that, while he can’t predict what the State will do in their budget, he apparently can read their calendar. Which shows meetings scheduled such that the implication is the budget will be late this year.
The Board is trying to put together a ‘Student Spotlight Intiative’, but are having some difficulties defining the goal. It sounds to me like they are trying to define the exceptions. The easily defined (academics, athletics, etc) already have their spotlighting methods. So the challenge is how to define that which is not easily defined.
That brought us to the budget presentations, which started off with an update on the tax levy. Looks like this year the cap for HFL is 2.91%, so that is likely what the proposal to the public will be.
First presentation was from the Middle School, whose principal is apparently out for medical reasons. I hope he recovers well, but in the meantime his team filled in. It felt like the biggest item of discussion was the request to remain at eight sections of 6th graders. The Middle school wants it, but the Central office is recommending seven sections, due to current enrollment of 5th graders (next years 6th graders).
Second presentation was from the Central Office, which includes a variety of district wide services. There was some talk about the Police Officer stationed at the Lima school. It sounds like the Lima municipality wants to move towards funding 10% of that position, instead of the 33% they did for this year. If I heard right, that was the eventual goal, but not the target for next year. I didn’t hear the target for next year, almost sounds like that still needs to be negotiated.
For what was probably the longest discussion of the evening, the Technology department is recommending moving away from leasing computers. Instead purchasing them upfront. Primary reason is to save money by avoiding interest payments. Regardless, will be through BOCES. So no change in usage, just in payment method.
Somewhat ironically, the most interesting part of the meeting may well have been how the Agenda was mangled. Items were missed, then returned to. Items were delayed, because other items went by too quickly. I found it all rather amusing. It did mean the meeting effectively ended with the budget presentations. Instead of having half the agenda occur afterwards. In the end, everything on the Agenda was covered, so all good there.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the February 27, 2024 meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education.
Agenda’s and similar information can be found at HFL’s BoardDocs page. While a recording will likely be available soon.