Teacher Jim Vamosy and students Payten Carr and Liam Tyree did an engineering and drone technology demonstration and presentation at the March 19 Gilboa-Conesville school board meeting. Photo by Chris English
GILBOA-CONESVILLE — School board members in Gilboa-Conesville heard the latest on the proposed 2026-2027 budget and enjoyed an engineering & drone technology demonstration from a teacher and two students at the Thursday, March 19 meeting.
School District Treasurer Marianne Romito made a presentation showing as of now $13,390,903 in total expenditures for 2026-2027 and the tax increase of 2.5 percent, which is below the state cap for the school district for next school year of 3.28 percent.
The plan at present is to use almost $1.9 million in fund balance (surplus) to balance revenue and expenses for next school year. Superintendent Bonnie Johnson reiterated that numbers have the possibility of changing between now and the time the board is scheduled to vote on adopting the budget at its April 23 meeting which starts at 6 p.m. School district residents have the final say when they vote on the budget on May 19.
During her presentation, Romito showed that administrative costs are going up $430,273 next school year to $2,173,590. That area includes salaries, health insurance and retirement costs, with health insurance projected to increase 11 percent in 2026-27.
Capital costs, which include bus purchases, debt service on buildings and other items, are projected to rise $175,013 to $1,750,314 mainly due to salary and supply increases in that area. Under the program, costs are projected to actually decrease by $84,195 down to $9,466,999, with the drop mainly due to retirements, Romito said.
In addition to the budget, the May 19 ballot will include transportation propositions where voters will decide whether to approve $181,534 for a new 60-passenger school bus and also the purchase of a new Chevrolet Suburban for $69,300.
On the proposed use of fund balance, Johnson wrote in an email to this newspaper after the March 19 meeting that "based on current projections, this appropriation would leave the district with an estimated remaining fund balance consistent with board policy and state guidelines. However, the exact remaining balance will depend on finalized state aid figures and any adjustments made prior to budget adoption."
In addition to the April 23 meeting, there is also a board meeting on April 16 where the budget may be discussed again, Johnson added. There is also a public hearing on the budget scheduled for May 7.
"These dates are part of the district's regular budget development timeline leading up to the annual budget vote and provide an opportunity for community members to review the proposed budget and ask questions prior to voter consideration," Johnson continued in the email. "Depending on the governor's numbers, we may add a budget workshop. If we do, we will let the community know ASAP."
During the non-budget part of the March 19 meeting, teacher Jim Vamosy and students Payten Carr and Liam Tyree made the engineering & drone technology demonstration and presentation. Each took turns using remote control devices to fly small drones they had assembled.
Vamosy said the recent drone program at the school included learning soldering skills, lithium-ion battery use and safety, connecting motors to frames and several other elements. There was also information during the program on how to become certified to fly drones, he added.
"This is the new technology coming out and we have to grab ahold of it," Vamosy said.
