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With Big Projects On Horizon, PB Keeps Eye On $$$

PINE BUSH – Enough's enough. The Pine Bush School District's effort to collect taxes is over for the 2017-18 year. The school board voted November 14 to release the district's tax collector from further efforts to get money that was due without penalty in September. By state law, the job now falls to three counties — parts of which are served by the school district.

Delinquent taxpayers owe the district $3.5 million, said Michael Pacella, assistant superintendent for business. Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties will try to collect it. But, collected or not, the counties must turn over the balance to the district by the end of the school year.

The 2017-18 budget passed handily in May. At $114.24 million, it was up 1.6 percent from the previous year, well within New York State's tax levy cap. The district was to raise $57 million locally.

The result of a recent state audit determined that the district does keep an eye on taxpayers' money. The board accepted a claims audit report prepared by the state comptroller's office that commended district officials for establishing effective procedures for paying claims.

The comptroller found that all the claims it examined for the 2017-18 year were supported by documentation, accurate, and for legitimate district purposes.

Another audit recently accepted by the school board, however, found the district had too much unassigned money on hand. Nugent & Haeussler PLC, of Montgomery, the certified public accountants that reviewed district finances, found Pine Bush had an unassigned fund balance of $10.1 million. According to state law, the district should have had at most a $4.5 million fund balance on June 30, the auditors found.

Pacella said the district would likely create an account for capital expenditures and move the excess money to that fund. The money could then be used to help finance projects, two of which the district would like to be on the ballot next May, when voters will also be asked to approve the 2018-19 budget.

Superintendent Tim Mains updated board members on the projects that could result in installing money-saving solar panels on the roofs of district buildings and major renovations to facilities.

An energy savings assessment recommended the panels and estimated they could shave millions from the district's energy bills. If the project were to go forward without voter approval, the state would cover 59 percent of the energy savings contract.

Such projects must "pay for themselves," Mains said. But he recommended, and board agreed, to put the energy saving project to the voters, which would raise the state's contribution to 69 percent, or another $600,000 for the district. In either case, the project must save at least as much money as it cost, and do so within eighteen years, Mains said.

The second project, coming out of a Building Condition Survey, could lead to extensive upgrades costing in the neighborhood of $50 million, Mains said earlier this year. Mains, who made a point of touring the buildings shortly after taking the job last year, said the district had deferred too much maintenance. The board approved a continuation of a consultant agreement with BCA Architects & Engineers to keep working on the solar panel and building rehabilitation projects.



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