The Clymer Board of Education discussed early budget projections for the 2020-21 school year and the potential for a merger with neighboring districts. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

CLYMER — Although early in the 2020-21 budget process, Clymer school officials acknowledged the “tough spot” the district is currently in.

The Clymer Central School Board of Education held a budget workshop Tuesday when Louann Bahgat, Clymer business official, presented early budgetary projections including a tax levy within its less than 1% tax cap for the 2020-21 school year.

With current projections of New York State aid and other considerations, Bahgat said proposed expenditures are $54,000 less than the 2019-20 school budget’s expenditures of $11,309,974 without exceeding the current tax cap. Bahgat said the tax levy cannot exceed $4,700,641 for the 2020-21 school year, which is a $38,891 increase from the 2019-20 school year.

“We did not get 2% this year,” Bahgat said regarding the commonly referred to tax cap percentage.

Additionally, Bahgat said a changed BOCES law regarding capital exclusions and the tax levy decreased Clymer’s tax cap for the upcoming school year as well as other factors that determine the state limit.

Bahgat said it was “unreasonable” to expect that the district would receive any more state aid in final state budget in April.

Board members discussed the potential of proposing a 2020-21 school budget that exceeded the cap, which would require 60% voter approval. However, most board members indicated they were against supporting such a proposal because of a commitment made by the previous board, which includes three current members. Last year’s board told the community that it would not propose a budget in excess of the tax cap this year if the 2019-20 school budget was approved.

The 2019-20 budget that received 60% approval from voters featured a 9% tax levy increase, exceeding last year’s tax cap.

“I’m not going to be able to support that,” said Ed Mulkearn, Clymer Board President, citing last year’s commitment to the community to not raise taxes higher than the state allowed tax cap.”

Board members also discussed the potential of a future merger with neighboring districts, which all members indicated they were not opposed to.

Clymer previously sent out letters to Sherman and Panama school officials about possible areas to share programming, services and inquired about interest in a potential merger.

Sherman officials previously notified Clymer representatives they were interested in sharing programming.

During Tuesday’s board meeting, a recent letter was read to the board that was signed by Bert Lictus, Panama superintendent, detailing Panama’s interest in sharing services with Clymer.

A portion of the letter reads, “As possibilities arise, we are committed to continue working together to provide the best opportunities to students and staff. Whether this means sharing students requiring specialized services, transportation, athletics, teacher training and/or in-service opportunities I am confident we will be successful. This arrangement is currently being utilized and I would expect it will continue in the future with adjustments to meet the needs of the districts, the students and staff.

“We look forward to working with Clymer Central School and its future leadership team,” the letter continues. “We wish you good luck in the search for a permanent superintendent and with the upcoming budget cycle, it appears to be a difficult one.”

During the meeting, Mulkearn indicated the board would again reach back out to its neighboring districts about their interest in a potential merger. One member from the Clymer school community, Dale Willink, was present at the meeting and inquired about a potential merger, too.

“We’re in a tough spot,” Mulkearn said. “We’re in a tough spot, but I will say that I think that maybe just the fact that we have community members here that want us to look at merging and I think that Dale’s not an outlier. I think he represents a large portion of the community and I think we really need to take another stab at our neighbors.”

The board emphasized that ideas shared at Tuesday’s budget workshop were only discussions, adding that no action was taken.

In other news, Karen Krause, interim superintendent, said board members were still preparing its superintendent search, which is being assisted by Dr. David O’Rourke, Erie 2-BOCES superintendent. Mulkearn added that board members anticipate a superintendent being appointed by July 1.

Krause noted that the district implemented a community input feature on the school website under the board of education tab.