The budget and spending plan support educational excellence and quality facilities while being sensitive to the taxpayers of the district.
Goal: Maintain a strong financial position through the optimization of revenues and cost-effective business practices.
- The administration developed a new long-range financial plan, which allows administrators and board members to plan for anticipated increases or decreases in revenue and expenses while accounting for what was actually realized. The financial plan aligns with the district’s strategic plan, ensuring that whether the district is proposing to add or cut from its budget, it is doing so while staying true to its mission and vision.
The long-range plan also helps district officials plan for future capital projects. Facilities deteriorate over time and need attention. Knowing when existing capital project debt will be paid allows the district to prioritize projects and plan for new debt to come on at that time, reducing spikes in residents’ school tax bills.
- The district is now on a five-year cycle for requesting proposals for professional services, such as insurance, legal and audit services. This will ensure the district is receiving competitive fees for outside services.
- Throughout the 2019-20 school year, the district completed infrastructure upgrades, such as replacing inefficient lighting in its buildings and at the athletic stadium, as part of the 2017 voter-approved Energy Performance Contract. Energy performance contracting is a financing technique that uses cost savings from reduced energy consumption to repay the cost of installing energy conservation measures.
Goal: Complete capital improvement projects on time and within budget to improve learning spaces, building security and accessibility.
- In September 2019, the district completed on time and within budget the first part of the 2017 voter-approved capital project: an approximate 4,000-square-foot addition at Enders Road Elementary School in Manlius. The new educational wing includes three classrooms, faculty offices, restrooms, an enrichment learning center and a makerspace where students can be creative and practice their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills both independently and collaboratively.
- In October 2019, F-M High School welcomed students into its newly renovated and expanded state-of-the-art library media center, which was also included in the 2017-approved capital project. This project was completed on time and within budget.
- The final phase of the district’s facilities project focuses on Wellwood Middle School. Construction began in spring 2020 and includes a 15,000-square-foot addition and new main entrance facing Fayetteville Elementary School, creation of a new, enlarged parking lot in front of the addition, new athletic fields and renovations to existing classrooms, including asbestos abatement and infrastructure upgrades. In spring 2020, Fayetteville Elementary and Wellwood’s electrical systems were separated so each building has its own independent power, and asbestos abatement was performed while Wellwood was closed to students and staff due to the pandemic. Wellwood’s portion of the 2017 project is expected to be completed in 2022.
Goal: Monitor the long-range facilities plan to ensure that district facilities are responsive to contemporary teaching and learning needs and support a productive work environment for all employees.
- Throughout the 2019-20 school year, the F-M Board of Education Facilities Committee met regularly with district administration and the district architects and engineers to review work completed on the 2017 capital project and to assess and evaluate future facility needs.