Article 25:
Technology Expendable Trust Fund (UFB) ($75,000)
Warrant Article Language
Shall the Amherst School District raise and appropriate the sum of up to seventy five thousand dollars ($75,000) to be added to the Technology Expendable Trust Fund previously established in March 2024? This sum to come from the June 30, 2026 unassigned fund balance (surplus) available for transfer on July 1, 2026. No amount to be raised from new taxation. Majority vote required.
Recommended by the Amherst School Board (5-0)
Recommended by the Amherst School District Ways & Means (advisory budget committee)(7-0)
Estimated tax impact of passing this article is: $0.00 per thousand.
Estimated tax impact of not passing this article is:- $0.03 per thousand.
BOARD EXPLANATION
This fund supports long term savings for infrastructure including; Telecommunications (telephones, alarms systems), Network (Switches, Firewall, Access Points), Wide Area Network (Interconnection between buildings). No new taxes would be raised as this funding would come from year-end surplus.
AMHERST WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE COMMENTS
This warrant article allows the district to allocate up to $75,000 of existing funds towards maintaining and updating services and equipment related to technology. Currently, the school district relies on various technological services and equipment to run not only the day-to-day operations of the district, but also to maximize student outcomes and communicate with students, families and staff. Additionally, the district has a proactive long-term plan for managing its aging technology that is forward-looking and ultimately less costly than a reactive stance with less volatility to the annual budget. This warrant article would provide the district with funds to implement the first phase of a wireless upgrade project while adding to the fund balance which will be used to support future phases of the project. The Committee unanimously supports this warrant article.
VOICE OF THE VOTER
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