ALLEGANY, N.Y. — Presentations of 2017-18 budgets for several departments as well as an update on the capital project were highlights of Tuesday’s agenda for the Allegany-Limestone school board.

Budget presentations were provided for the special education, maintenance and transportation departments as well as the cafeteria.

In their overview of the special education budget, Alicia Bockmier and Jon Luce, co-chairpersons of the department, said the program is expected to have 135 school age students with disabilities in the upcoming year.

“Special education is such a fluid realm that those numbers are changing all the time … and that’s something that’s important to keep in mind,” Bockmier said. Later, she noted there is expected to be a larger number of preschool children with special needs entering the program next year, while the number of children in the middle/high school program will decrease somewhat. They said the preliminary 2017-18 budget is $2.972 million, a 2.07 percent increase over this year’s $2.912 million budget.

Buildings and grounds director Allen Backer said the department took care of several projects this year that including building up the infield area of the baseball field with eight tons of topsoil; replacement of compressors in two air condition unit at the high school; the replacement of the pool heating unit at the middle/high school; and the purchase of a John Deere Gator machine CHECK for maintenance of the sports fields. Backer said he would like to replace a John Deere tractor with a smaller, less expensive unit. With that said, he said the proposed budget for 2017-18 is $1.346 million, a reduction of 2.81 percent from this year’s $1.385 million.

Roy Rogers, transportation supervisor, said the district has 24 full-size buses, as well as five seven-passenger buses and three maintenance trucks.

“The fleet replacement program is really working,” Rogers said. “I know we’ve been harping about this the past 10 to 15 years, but now we’re starting to see that it’s making a difference.”

He said the proposed budget for next year is $1.530 million, a 4.71 percent increase over this year’s $1.462 million budget.

In commenting on the transportation budget, Mike Watson, district clerk, said one of the challenges the district continues to face is finding qualified bus drivers.

“One of the things we’re working on is looking at ways to have fewer drivers” covering the same amount of miles, Watson said of the possibility for employing fewer, full-time drivers with benefits.

Rhonda Herbert, cafeteria supervisor, also gave a brief presentation, but did not provide a proposed budget as the department’s expenses are part of the district’s budgeting process, said Superintendent Dr. Karen Geelan.

In other matters, Geelan discussed the capital project which, if approved, will upgrade the middle/high school and elementary campuses. The middle/high school proposed work includes  energy-efficient upgrades; an updated cafeteria line; sitework upgrades on the parking lots, sidewalks and athletic facilities; potentially combined middle and high school entrances; mechanical replacements of pumps and fixtures; and upgrades for the locker rooms, restrooms, gymnasium and high-use doors.

At the elementary school on Maple Avenue, work is expected to include energy-efficiency upgrades; cafeteria upgrades; an updated bus loop and vehicle cueing area; and security features at the main entrance. Also in the plans are replacement of the sanitary main and rooftop units. Bus garage work will include energy-efficiency upgrades; addressing acoustical issues; and bus wash bay updates that including finish work, ventilation and trench drain upgrades.

Geelan told the board that as the preliminary figures for the proposed work could be as much as $14 million, the district is reviewing ways to reduce the cost by eliminating some of the proposed work. Geelan said the district is hopeful of cutting the proposed cost to just over $11 million, as to not impact taxes. The project would receive state aid for 87 percent of the cost.

She said this could include amending the middle/high school roof replacement project. Instead of replacing the roof, crews would make repairs on the roof and then seal them with a special coating. The amended project would cost a fraction of a full roof replacement, Watson said.

Geelan said the district is reviewing other projects to cut or amend, but won’t know what will be included or eliminated until final cost estimates are received from the architects and contractors hired for the work. Companies hired for the project are Campus Construction Management Services of Pittsford and architecture company Clark Patterson Lee of Jamestown.

She said the proposed project and its final cost will be put before the voters during the May budget vote.