The public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 budget for the Corning-Painted Post (C-PP) school district on May 13 began with the resignation of board president Janelle Meteer.
Meteer said very few words and left at the start of the meeting. It is unclear why she resigned, but other members of the board said it was a personal decision. She served on the board for 11 years.
Longtime board member James Webb was made president pro tempore for the duration of the meeting, as vice president of the board Kelley Bacallas was absent. It is not clear who is now leading the C-PP school board.
WSKG reached out to the district and will update this report when we hear back.
Meteer’s seat will be filled. However, the exact date and process has not been made clear.
“In general, the board typically appoints,” said Webb “Oftentimes, we look to the voters for guidance on that. And at this point, the board will get together and decide its process for going forward, and we fully intend to let the public know before the vote.”
There are three open board seats up for election and four candidates running. Webb said a common practice is to choose whoever receives the fourth highest vote total between ballot and write-in candidates during the elections. This candidate could then be appointed to finish out Meteer's term, which ends in 2026.
The budget hearing also brought out supporters and opponents of the budget.
Members of the community lined up to speak to the board. Some were in favor of the nearly $147 million dollar budget.
Many of the participants were representing the High School Learning Center (HSLC). The HSLC is an alternative high school program for non-traditional learners. It was created to support disconnected students who would otherwise leave school before graduation. It started in 2003.
It was also one of the non-state-mandated programs that was in the first rounds of elimination when the district began putting together the proposed budget.
Students do coursework and participate outside the classroom in community service, paid work or volunteering.
Several participants shared their personal journey from feeling invisible and uninspired to persevering through to graduation and employment.
“[The HSLC] is very important. You're going to hear a lot of people say they weren't going to graduate, or they weren't going to live, or none of this was going to work out. And it's all entirely true,” said former student Megan Hiler. “I'm not going to indict you with a sob story about why I ended up there, but the systems that are in place there are shaping, and have shaped who I am today."
"The Rockwell mural project—the amount of community service that I dumped into that at one point was over 40 hours in one trimester," Hiler added. "And now I just got approved to put my own first mural up in Elmira as of this summer. So I'm still enriching the community in important ways.”
Some participants, who were impressed by the HSLC showing and personal stories, were against the high tax levy of nearly 8 percent and criticized the administrative costs, such as salaries for some of the district’s leadership.
Ellen Van Horn, a Caton resident and educator of 18 years, was one of the people who spoke during the hearing.
“I implore the board, when this gets kicked back to you, to please, please relook at your administrative component,” said Van Horn. “I have been in 14 out of our 21 districts. This is the most top-heavy district in our region, please look at your administrative component.”
According to the district, there are currently 74 administrative positions within the schools and at the board of education administration building. These are positions that do not include teachers. The salaries for these administrative positions—including district leadership—total $6.9 million. These costs do not include fringe benefits such as health insurance and retirement, which total $6.9 million as well.
District officials said that the $8.7 million increase in the proposed budget for next year includes inflation costs, such as a 14 percent rise in health insurance costs and a nearly 10 percent increase in utility costs.
The highest paid salary is the school business official at $228,149, followed by the school superintendent at $221,542. Two additional salaries over $200,000 include the assistant superintendent of administrative services and the supervisor of school operations.
There are nine administrators who make more than $150,000 including three assistant superintendents, the director of pupil personnel services, five school principals and one assistant principal. These positions are contractual but not part of union collective bargaining agreements such as the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) or the Corning Teachers Association.
The salary amounts do not include incentive bonuses or longevity awards, which can be part of contract negotiations.
It is not clear whether the board will consider options such as salary caps, salary freezes or lowering salary percentage increases in future budget talks. But Webb said it is something they could talk about.
Webb described the budget deficits faced by the district in 2008 before it merged the high schools and the middle schools in 2014.
“We lost an incredible amount of staff,” said Webb. “It was not good. Corning [Inc.] was laying off too. It was not good for the economy in the area.”
The school district is the second largest employer in the city of Corning, according to a 2024 report by state comptroller, Tom DiNapoli. It employs nearly 1000 people.
“Any district needs good leadership,” said Webb. “And without that the district doesn't work well. It certainly needs good educators. So both are absolutely necessary components and we believe that we have the right mix.“
Property tax rates increased this year. The estimated tax on a $100,000 home is $2,123—or nearly $8 per month over last year. On a $150,000 home it is $3,184—or $11 more per month than 2024. A $200,000 home is assessed at $4,246, which is $15 per month above last year.
The increase in the tax levy exceeds the state tax cap and must be approved by a supermajority at the polls. This means 60 percent of voters must choose yes in order to pass the budget as it currently stands.
The C-PP school district exceeded the tax cap last year as well, in its initial budget proposal. It failed at the polls and required a second vote in order to pass.
A public vote on the budget and school board elections in the district will be held on Tuesday, May 20.