Herkimer County BOCES has shown steady financial improvement over the past four years, clearing the way to offer expanded consolidated service options to area school districts, according to Mark Vivacqua, newly appointed district superintendent.
Currently operating a central business office, which handles payroll and accounts payable, for three of 12 component districts, BOCES is looking to expand the service in the next five years, Vivacqua said.
Ilion, Mount Markham and Frankfort-Schuyler school districts utilize the office, and Vivacqua believes at least six more districts will be looking to join in coming years.
The region lost 11 percent of its combined student population in the past eight years, and “as they get smaller” fundamental consolidation through BOCES becomes more viable, he said.
Other consolidated services currently offered by BOCES include all 12 districts participating in a central purchasing agreement; as well as, 10 districts utilizing a health insurance consortium.
As BOCES continues to show gains from a financial low point in 2005, in which decreased special education program participation resulted in a 1.7 percent (over $280,000) budget shortfall, there is an “increased confidence” in its ability to deliver efficiencies, Vivacqua added.
An independent audit of last year’s finances at BOCES reported a 6.4 percent (over $1.2 million) return of surplus to component districts.
The previous three years returned surpluses of 6.3 percent, 4.9 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively, according to the audit.
See the whole story in Tuesday's edition of The Evening Telegram.
The 12 component districts of Herkimer County BOCES:
Herkimer
Ilion
Little Falls
Frankfort-Schuyler
Dolgeville
Mount Markham
Mohawk
Poland
West Canada Valley
Oppenheim-Ephratah
Richfield Springs
Owen D. Young
The overall expenses covered by local districts increased to $19,621,705 in 2009, compared to $16,756,061 in 2005, a recent independent audit states.
The special reserve fund, which mainly consists of federal funds and state aid, was $5,416,068 in 2009, slightly up from $5,128,459 in 2005.
