At its April 22 meeting, the Pine Plains Central School District Board of Education unanimously approved a $38,712,336 spending plan for the 2025-26 school year — an increase of 2.71% over the current budget, and notably lower than last year’s 3.5% jump. The preliminary budget will be open for community comment during a public hearing at the board’s May 7 meeting.
Superintendent Brian Timm and Business Official Laura Rafferty outlined the financial plan, which stays beneath the state-mandated 3.57% tax cap. The district’s tax levy will rise by 3.2%, generating $27,885,802 in local revenue.
“We did well this year,” Timm told the board. “But we have a number of big decisions to make that will impact our total revenues and expenditures.” He noted that while the district’s budget increase is less than the Consumer Price Index of 2.95%, the district remains fiscally restrained in light of declining enrollment — down nearly 50% since 2004.
The drop in student numbers has led the district to consider consolidating from three school buildings to two, following a building utilization study suggesting the shuttering of Cold Spring Early Learning Center. “We’re trying to right-size the district’s organization,” Timm said. Community forums to aid in decision-making are planned during the coming school year.
Additionally, uncertainty surrounding the state’s budget has interfered with the school’s revenue calculations. Nearly half of Pine Plains Central School District’s anticipated 2025-26 state funding comes as $4 million in Foundation Aid. “We’re still waiting on the governor’s finalized budget,” Rafferty said, “And I’m told today that they are expecting another extender.” During the school board meeting, state lawmakers approved the seventh budget extender, providing two more days of stopgap funding.
Gov. Hochul’s 2025-26 budget was expected to be finalized on April 1, but has been held up for a number of reasons, including the restriction of smartphone use in public schools and the proposed reform of New York’s discovery laws, intended to end procedural delays and prevent automatic case dismissals.
Contingency Budget and Propositions on the Ballot
If voters reject the budget on May 20, the district would adopt a contingency budget that freezes the tax levy at $27,021,126—resulting in a $864,676 shortfall. “We also wouldn’t be allowed to purchase any equipment, like the new floor scrubber,” Rafferty said. A re-vote would be held June 17. The last time voters rejected a budget was in 2011, according to board member Fred “Chip” Couse.
In addition to the budget vote, residents will consider three ballot propositions:
- Proposition One: Approval of the 2025-26 budget.
- Proposition Two: Establishment of a new 10-year, $15 million capital reserve fund for school facilities, replacing two expiring reserves totaling $5.6 million.
- Proposition Three: Authorization to purchase two 71-passenger buses ($164,163 each) and one eight-passenger Chevy Suburban ($68,043), with four older vehicles to be retired. To account for potential tariff-related price hikes, language in the proposition includes a 30% price buffer of up to $188,911.
Winners Circle Project Approved
Board members also approved the “Winners Circle Project,” a new student-led initiative to build and auction a race car. The $185,000 first-year cost would be partially covered by $60,000 in Bullet Aid, $30,000 from State Sen. Michelle Hinchey’s office (D-41), and $40,000 in state reimbursements through Dutchess BOCES. The remainder would be paid through prior-year appropriations.
Timm said the program could retain students who might otherwise attend the Career and Technical Institute. “It costs about $15,000 to send one student to CTI,” he said. “If we could get at least 10 to stay at the high school, the program becomes budget-neutral.”
Board member James Griffin praised the proposal. “The biggest benefit of this program is immeasurable—the real world is being brought into their classroom,” he said. Board member Jean Stapf added that feedback from other districts has been “only positive.”
BOCES Budget and Board Elections
The board also adopted the 2025-26 Dutchess BOCES budget totaling $6,858,000 and elected three BOCES board members: Judy Moran, Mark Fleischhauer, and Ralph Chiumento.
Two incumbents — Fred “Chip” Couse and current board president Amie Fredericks — are running unopposed for re-election to the Pine Plains Board of Education. Each seat carries a three-year term.
The district will hold a public hearing on the budget at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, in the Stissing Mountain High School library — or auditorium if library renovations are incomplete. Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, in the high school cafeteria.