The Board of Education voted to adopt its 2015-16 budget on Thursday, February 5, with minimal changes the superintendent made to his original proposal.

The school board’s adopted 2015-16 budget represents a $72,253,488 spending plan, a 1.27 percent increase over the 2014-15 budget.

Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, first presented his proposed budget to the school board on January 6 as $72,399,186, a 1.48 percent increase over the current $71,345,304 budget.

At a school board meeting on Tuesday, Dr Erardi and district Business Director Ron Bienkowski said newly gathered data had lowered the proposed budget hike to 1.27 percent.

The total adjustments brought the proposed spending plan down by $145,698, according to a sheet shared on Thursday, and included a reduction in diesel fuel costs, changes to the medical self-insurance fund, and adjustments made by All-Star Transportation, which include a plan to share one vehicle with Brookfield, for roughly $31,000 in savings to the proposed budget.

“I really appreciate every time the superintendent’s budget office goes ahead and [Mr Bienkowski] looks into things and tries to find new better numbers…” board Chair Keith Alexander said. “I expect that we will revise a number or two as we go through the budget process, because we do have things that don’t have firm numbers on their way...”

The school board discussed a number of programs and positions in the 2015-16 budget proposal during its meeting, but votes to make other changes to the budget did not pass the full board.

After school board Secretary Kathy Hamilton presented the board with a report from All-Star Transportation and her own findings on bus capacity and passengers based on the report, Dr Erardi said he has asked the bus company to present by March 1 new ridership data and an analysis of the ramifications of reducing the bus fleet by two vehicles.

“And then it gives us the opportunity to really have an informed decision on whether that is prudent to do,” said Dr Erardi, “and if it is, I am willing to get it done. I applaud the board for being responsible and involved in this issue.”

Mr Bienkowski cautioned the board against looking at capacity numbers alone without taking into account other factors.

After about 90 minutes, the school board was ready to vote on the 2015-16 budget as presented by Dr Erardi. The budget passed with a 6-1 vote, with Ms Hamilton, who offered several possible budget reductions during the meeting that were not supported, voting against it.

Board members offered their words of support for the budget before the final vote.

Ms Roche said she “really supports this number” and thanked everyone for putting work into the budget, including Dr Erardi for overseeing its completion.

Ms Hamilton also thanked Mr Bienkowski and Dr Erardi for a budget presentation that made it easier to look at the line items. Board member Debbie Leidlein also said this year had one of the best budget books she has ever seen.

To Dr Erardi, Ms Leidlein said, “I support what you put forward as being the budget that we should accept as the necessary budget to keep us moving forward in this district and to meet the needs that our students have.”

Board member David Freedman said the budget process this year was smoother, and, “You could see that clearly through every one of the meetings, even tonight, where there is almost more administrators than there is public. That is a sentiment, I think, to the quality of the execution of this budget.”

Member Michelle Ku said she appreciates the difficult conversations that occurred.

“Although we may disagree about what is important and what is not important, I think it is really important that anybody watching this whole process knows that we have gone through it in great detail,” said Ms Ku.

School board member John Vouros offered his gratitude that his fellow board members supported hiring Dr Erardi.

“Because it has enabled me, after three years, to go through this process in a very civilized, mature, and calm manner, and it is because of his leadership,” Mr Vouros said.

He also thanked everyone who is about to “spearhead the votes, get this budget passed.”

Mr Vouros also said he knows the district is in a “very, very good place,” adding, “That’s the exciting part for us now, to fly higher than we have ever flown.”

The 2015-16 budget will go before the Board of Finance and Legislative Council for assessment before it is sent to public referendum in April. As Dr Erardi pointed out during Tuesday’s meeting, there are roughly 30 meetings scheduled before the budget goes to referendum.

This story was edited at 11:30 am.