By GERRY deSIMAS, JR.
Collinsville Press.com
AVON, May 12 – In the largest turnover ever for a budget referendum in town, voters in Avon approved a $72.87 million budget Wednesday by nearly 900 votes. The 2010-11 budget prevailed by a vote of 3,243 to 2,361.
The budget represents a 2.8 percent increase in spending over this year’s budget and will require a 4.4 increase in the town’s mill rate. The town portion of the budget is $19.1 million, an increase of 2.8 percent over this year’s budget and the education portion of the approved budget is $45.9 million, an increase of 4.5 percent over the current budget.
Over 48 percent of registered votes eligible to vote came to the polls, sparked by an effort by Coalition of Citizens for Avon, an organization of school parents that has worked to sign up new votes and get supporters to the polls.
Members of the coalition erupted in celebration at the Senior Center when the voting results were announced shortly after 8 p.m. “I’m estatic,” coalition president Abha Bernard said. “I can’t begin to say how thrilled we are on behalf of these guys.” Bernard pointed to her four children, who are between age 7 and 14. “This is why Scott (her husband) and I got involved.
“We’re very happy but not just for the schools. It’s for the community. The rest of the budget remains intact.”
Florence Stahl, president of the Avon Taxpayers Association, said, “It was worth the fight. We advanced the notion of fiscal responsibility. It was a worthwhile message to get out. We wish the town well. It’s a great town.”
Tom Harrison, chairman of the Board of Finance said, “I’m grateful that the Avon residents approved the budget that the Board of Finance recommended. This has been a very challenging year for the town budget. Our board recommended this compromise that we truly believed would be in the best interest of the town as a whole.”
In April, the Board of Finance cut $1.05 million from the Board of Education’s original budget request. While thrilled with the outcome, the Board is still working to reduce its original proposal.
“We’re obviously pleased that the majority of voters agreed that the budgets as presented were in the best interest of the entire town,” said Peggy Roell, chairwoman of the Board of Education. “On behalf of the Board of Education, we want to thank the Coalition of Citizens for Avon for their effort to get the vote out. The turnout was fantastic.”
Roell also thanked the teacher’s union for their approval on Tuesday night of concessions that will save the Board of Education $350,000 this year.
The Avon Education Association agreed to take a 1.2 percent wage increase in 2010-11, the final year of their contact instead of the scheduled 2.41 percent. The teachers will receive a 1.2 percent increase in 2011-12 and a 2.59 percent increase in 2012-13. Raises for teachers eligible for step increases would also be delayed six months.
The Board of Education will continue to work on reductions to meet the $1.05 million cut at its next meeting on Tuesday, May 18.
A revamped proposal from Avon High athletic coordinator Tanya Adorno and interim superintendent Jody Goeler on the pay to play proposal for the Avon High athletic department will likely be early in June.
Parents with comments or suggestions should contact Adorno or Goeler at the high school.
Latest updates
Pay-to-pay fees could be steep for athletes in 2011
AVON, May 4 – A proposal to fund athletic programs at Avon High next year would require parents to pay over $248,000 in pay-to-play fees and include fees to play individual sports that would range from $125 to $2,000 per season.
Tanya Adorno, the athletic coordinator at Avon High, made a presentation to the Board of Education in a special meeting Tuesday night about the cost of funding its 74 teams that compete in 36 sports in the 2010-11 school year beginning in September.
Teachers agree
to concessions
AVON, May 3 – The Board of Education and Avon Teachers Association said Monday that they reached an agreement on concessions that would save about $350,000. Instead of getting a 2.4 increase in 2010-11, the final year of a three-year deal decided in arbitration, the teachers would take a 1.2 percent increase for the next two years and a 2.59 percent increase in salary in 2012-13. Raises for teachers eligible for step increases would also be delayed six months.
BOE to host two meetings on budget cuts
AVON, April 16 – The Avon Board of Education will hold two more additional meetings to decide what to cut from its proposed 2010-11 budget. The Board of Finance cut $1.05 million from the BOE’s original request of $46.9 million. The current BOE proposal of $45.9 million is a 4.5 percent increase from last year’s budget.
The BOE will hold special meetings on April 27 and May 4 to discuss possible spending cuts and encourages residents to provide suggestions to the BOE.
The current BOE proposal is part of the $72.87 million budget that town voters will vote on at the annual budget referendum on May 12.
BOF cuts BOE request by $1 million
Town to vote on budget on May 12
AVON, April 7 – Avon’s Board of Finance has voted to present a $72.87 million town budget for voters to approve in the upcoming budget referendum on May 12. The proposed budget would require taxes to rise 4.4 percent and represents a 2.8 percent increase in spending.
The vote was along party lines with five Republicans voting for the proposal and two Democrats opposing it.
The Board of Finance ordered the Board of Education to reduce its proposed budget by $1.05 million to $45.9 million. That reduces the BOE’s proposed increase in its budget from 6.91 percent to 4.5 percent.
On April 5, about 1,000 residents marched in support of the BOE’s original proposal and had hoped that town voters would get the chance to vote on the proposal.
Hundreds march in support of Board of Education proposal
AVON, April 5 – Over an estimated thousand students, parents, teachers, school employees and residents marched about a mile to Avon High School Monday night in support of the Board of Education’s proposed 2010-11 budget.
After the rally, organized by the Coalition of Citizens for Avon, nearly 700 residents squeezed inside the high school auditorium to present their views to the Board of Finance in a public hearing. It was a pro-education crowd but there were several speakers that spoke in opposition of the Board of Education’s proposed budget.
