The Clymer Central School District identified potential cuts if the second proposed budget fails on June 18. The board all approved the inclusion of a non-binding poll regarding Clymer's future at the second vote, pending approval from the school's attorney. P-J file photo by Jordan W. Patterson

CLYMER — After proposing an almost 9% tax levy increase, the Clymer Central School Board of Education has identified potential cuts to be made if a second proposal faces the same fate as the first did in May.

With an 8.8% tax levy increase in the current proposal, the board and school officials hope the reduction from the previously proposed 13% increase will be enough to garner a 60% supermajoirty approval from the community. A supermajority approval is needed because the district is again proposing a tax levy increase above the state mandated tax cap. Clymer’s tax cap was set at 4% percent for the 2019-20 school year.

If the revote of the $11,495,924 proposed 2019-20 school budget is defeated again, the district will be forced to make up more than $600,000 to balance the budget without being able to increase the tax levy. The gap will likely be accounted for by a combination of fund balance appropriations and program cuts, Superintendent Ed Bailey said.

At a special meeting Monday, the board agreed on areas of the spending plan it will consider adjusting if the district is forced to use a contingency budget. Additionally, the board approved the inclusion of an exit poll on the June 18 budget revote regarding the district’s future, pending approval from Clymer’s attorney.

As for potential cuts, Bailey said the district will consider cutting some or all of interscholastic sports; eliminating three instructional positions including an art; agriculture and business teacher; eliminating two instructional support positions; restricting field trips among all grade levels; developing a facility fee schedule for non-district use; and reducing half of a maintenance position.

Bailey emphasized that any discussed reductions by the board are simply “potential cuts,” noting that no decisions have been officially made as the budget revote has not taken place.

The originally proposed school budget school budget was received by a vote of 580 to 459. The budget carried a 13.29% tax levy increase.

At 9%, the district will still need an estimated $185,000 in cuts to balance the budget. However, the district believes the reduced tax levy increase allows the district to refrain from using all of its fund balance offsetting the budget.

“When you reduce the budget another 4%, there is reason for optimism. By no means am I confident,” Bailey said of the upcoming revote.

However, Bailey said he was encouraged by the voter turnout the last time around with 580 district residents supporting the proposal. Despite the more than 1,000 residents who voted, the district only saw a 55% approval rating.

As for the potential exit poll, community members may be asked to participate in a non-binding survey following the upcoming vote that is separate from the actual ballot.

If approved by Clymer’s attorney, the exit poll will ask voters what options the district should consider. Those options include tuitioning students to another school district, merging with one or more neighboring school districts, redistricting the current Clymer school district and exploring shared services with other schools. Community members are allowed to select more than one answer.

Bailey said the exit poll will help the board “have some direction on where the community would like to go” following the vote.

A budget hearing will be held Monday to discuss the current proposal and the revote will be held June 18.