OBSERVER Photo by Anthony Dolce Kerrie Pelletter discusses the Forestville budget at a school board meeting.

FORESTVILLE — School Business Executive Kerrie Pelletter presented some facts and figures related to the school’s upcoming budget vote next week.

Pelletter began by explaining various expenditures within the budget for next year, which include a new door access system, LCD panels to replace outdated smart boards, security camera upgrades, and additional equipment for the school’s esports lab. The third-floor hallway in the high school will also be renovated, similar to how the second-floor hallway was renovated this past year.

As for the tax levy, Pelletter said the budget was designed with increasing it to the calculated limit.

“This budget was prepared assuming we’re going to increase the tax levy to the calculated limit, like we’ve done in years past,” said Pelletter.

The tax levy increase on the district is a total of $140,607 over last year, which is a 3.44% increase over last year, to be divided among taxpayers and tax paying entities.

As for the budget number itself, the proposed number for the 2022-23 school year is $13,508,760, representing an increase of almost $500,000 over last year’s budget of $13,028,780.

Pelletter also noted that the budget includes the purchase of two school buses, one of which is a 24-passenger, wheelchair accessible bus, while the other is a 30-passenger bus.

Pelletter also detailed state recommended increases in school lunch pricing, though those prices are not finalized. These changes include potentially raising the elementary lunch price to $2.15 from $2.05, and middle/high school lunch would go from $2.30 to $2.40. Breakfast prices at each school would go from $1.55 to $1.65, while adult breakfast would go from $2.71 to $2.86 and lunch would increase from $5.21 to $5.44. Pelletter stressed that these are the recommended numbers, and the district would continue to monitor participation, food quality, and if they should increase the prices.

The budget vote will be Tuesday, May 17 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the elementary school cafeteria, and those who go to vote can help out a few different school organizations. The Class of 2023 will be holding a bake sale, while the Forestville Trap Team will be holding a chicken barbecue from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at a cost of $12 per dinner.