Bret Apthorpe

Despite having no members of the public present, Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Bret Apthorpe again described the proposed school budget as being tailored toward the community.

The near $90.7 million 2019-20 school budget proposal focused on three goals: student achievement, district initiatives and focusing district resources.

During Tuesday’s board of education meeting, Apthorpe reiterated his praise of district employees who helped create next year’s potential budget despite a shortfall of foundation aid not provided by New York state. He said the efforts are from the district as a “team effort.”

“It’s a community budget,” Apthorpe said. “We’re able to do these things because so many of the community organizations and agencies have partnered with us to share their expertise and resources. That’s why we’re able to do these exciting things at a time when we’re clearly not funded by the state.”

Jamestown has continued to claim the state’s distribution of foundation aid for a decade has been unfair and not to the standard of its own formula that was used for the 2009-10 school year. Jamestown has also been involved in a highly-publicized legal battle with the state along with other “small city’ school districts across the state.

Apthorpe highlighted the fact that despite the financial shortcoming, the district has maintained its emphasis on three key initiatives: contemporary student programming, the expansion of the Summer LIT camp and the creation of the Success Academy.

But Apthorpe acknowledged that the community may wonder how the district is able to add a new school, update curriculum and expand a summer program with a lack of state aid. His answer was simple: community partnerships.

“Working with community resources that are already in place,” Apthorpe said in response to his own question.

On the ballot will also be a proposition for a lease purchase of school buses and equipment totaling $873,500. Lisa Almasi, chief operating officer, told the board the lease agreement will allow for the reduction of costs for repairs and a higher trade-in value when vehicles are being replaced.

District voters will take to the polling locations at Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington schools on May 21. Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m.