Melanie Lekocevic is reporting in The Daily Mail the Coxsackie-Athens Board of Education held its first budget workshop this year, Thu., Feb. 11, to discuss its preliminary 2016-17 budget. At this stage in the process, the spending plan totals $30 million. Assistant Superintendent of School Services Leslie Copleston told the board that if staffing, course offerings, and programming remain the same, the budget will increase by more than $600,000 or approximately two percent, next year. That increase is largely due to negotiated salary increases, higher water and sewer rates, and additional BOCES costs. Employee benefits will also grow in the next school year. Line items expected to decrease include equipment expenses and transportation. The district will add a school counselor, two special education teachers, and various full- and part-time classroom support positions next year, but the funds needed to cover those positions are not yet included in the proposed spending plan, Copleston said. Superintendent Randall Squier pointed out the budget under discussion is separate from the capital project that residents will vote on in March. The proposal, if approved, would not impact the 2016-17 spending plan, Squire said. The next budget workshop will be held March 3 at Edward J. Arthur Elementary School in Athens. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.