By JEANETTE WOLFBERG
HUDSON – The Columbia County Board of Supervisors approved the 2023-24 Columbia-Greene Community College (CGCC) operating budget, at its monthly full board meeting August 9.
The total budget for 2023-24 is $20.1 million, a million dollars (5.2%) more than last year’s budget of $19.1 million. Columbia County’s contribution is to be $3.4 million, a decrease of $140 thousand (4%) from last year. Tuition is $2,686 per semester for full time students, $219 per credit hour for part time students.
The included table shows the projected revenues and expenditures of the upcoming budget, compared with the previous year. The expenditure category in this table with the highest increase in dollars from the previous year is salaries, up by $432 thousand (5%) to $9.8 million. The expenditure categories with the highest increase in percentage points include electricity and gas (together up 40%) and Service and Maintenance (up 12%). On the other hand, expenditure for vehicles is down to zero, a savings of $103,000. Questions to CGCC for more details on these changes were not answered by press time.
The total contribution from both counties is to stay $6,448,350, as it was for the previous two years. Therefore, Greene County’s contribution increases by the same $140 thousand that Columbia County’s decreases by. The formula for dividing the total contribution between the two counties includes the enrollment from each county as a factor.
At the August 9 meeting, CGCC President Carlee Drummer reported that the college has just received $910 thousand from SUNY Albany to begin a Limited Practical Nurse program, and that the college’s enrollment is up 30% for the summer season.
