ZEKE WRIGHT

Staff Writer

CAMBRIDGE, N.Y. -- Following a difficult budgetary decision earlier this year, unanticipated state revenue will allow the full slate of sports at Cambridge Central School to continue in the new school year without reliance on private funds raised by the school booster club.

That booster club remains active in supporting local athletics, however, as the extra revenue comes outside the approved 2012-13 school budget and cannot be expected the following year.

School board members approved a resolution restoring boys soccer, golf, wrestling, volleyball, boys and girls track, lacrosse, and cheerleading to the 2012-13 sports schedule -- representing half of the school’s typical sports program, funding for which was removed from the budget while eliminating a large year-to-year deficit.

Extracurriculars that were also removed from the budget are similarly expected to continue following a teachers’ union concession that incorporated most of those activities into an extended school day at no cost to the district.

The school received $100,000 in unanticipated revenue from a late state Senate resolution passed June 21, which appropriated miscellaneous funds for certain districts outside of regular state aid formulas.

Among neighboring districts to also receive additional so-called "bullet aid" from that same appropriation bill, Hoosick Falls Central School received an additional $15,000, the Cheney Public Library in Hoosick Falls received $6,000, Salem Central School received $50,000, Berlin Central School received $30,000, and the Berlin Free Library received $6,000.

Superintendent Vincent Canini recommended to the board that $72,000 of the new aid go toward restoring sports at CCS. Canini said the remainder could fund the elementary yearbook and restore some supplies cut from the budget, to be determined by the board in August.

The board is also expected to further discuss a proposed fundraiser by the school booster club to sell advertising space on athletic field fences for football games. Some board members expressed concerns with the advertising, and the potential for vandalism, but supporters of the idea said the ads would be geared more toward local business sponsorship and not paid product placement. A majority of the board expressed a willingness to explore the idea, with appropriate stipulations and an approval process.

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