Voters fill local school boards, approve budget plans

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·8 min read

May 18—Residents of local school districts headed to the polls Tuesday to cast their votes in school board elections and to vote for school budgets and propositions.

Turnout was high Tuesday in most of the districts that reported results by press time.

Residents of the Schenevus Central School District approved the budget by just three votes. Because the proposed tax levy increase of 4% or $670,527 exceeded the district's tax levy limit (or "tax cap,") a 60% supermajority was needed to approve the budget, a media release said. The proposal was approved 193-122, or 61% of voters.

"We appreciate the continued support of this community," Schenevus Superintendent Theresa Carlin said in a media release. "This budget will help ensure that Schenevus Central School can continue providing students with the current level of programs and services they rely upon."

Unadilla Valley residents also had to approve the district's budget by a supermajority, and did so overwhelmingly 170-22.

Worcester Central School Superintendent Timothy Gonzales thanked residents in the district for overwhelmingly approving the budget 103-37. "On behalf of the District, I want to express our most sincere gratitude to our voters for their tradition of supporting our students, faculty and staff," he said in an email.

The following school districts held elections Tuesday and submitted results before press time:

CHENANGO COUNTY

Afton Central School District

Budget (+7.85%): $17,869,284: Yes, 222; No, 136.

Proposition: bus purchases 60 passenger, 24 passenger with wheelchair lift and SUV: Yes, 205; No, 153.

School board (1): five-year position. James Parkinson Jr.: 192; Maryann Palmetier: 164

Bainbridge-Guilford Central School District

Budget (+3.4%) $21,441,361: Yes, 222; No, 76

Proposition purchase two buses: Yes, 227; No, 67

School board (2 3-year terms, 1 remainder of term begins May 18): Shelly Bartow: 192; Thomas Akshar: 185; John Gliha: 180; and Danielle Umbra: 165

Greene Central School District

Budget (+5.84%) $30,346,400: Yes, 342; No, 182

Proposition: establish a capital reserve fund: Yes, 366; No, 151.

School board (3): John Fish: 259; Seth Barrows: 243; Ken Pickard: 234; William (Mitch) Brower: 191; Jeremy Snavely: 189; Emily Riggs: 171; S. Curtis: 105; Christopher Austin: 102.

Norwich City School District

Budget (+7.65%) $45,995,227: Yes, 405; No, 168.

Proposition: establish a capital reserve fund: Yes, 443; No, 124

School board (2): Debra Phelps: 383; Kirnan Hamilton: 342; and Jennifer Westervelt: 308.

Otselic Valley Central School District

Budget (-1.32%): $11,755,472: Yes, 84; No, 12

School board (1): Charlene Smith

Oxford Academy and Central School

Budget (+7.307%) $20,898,159: Yes, 117; No, 20

Propositions: capital reserve fund: Yes, 118; No, 19; Oxford Memorial Library budget: Yes, 117; No, 20.

School board (1): Matt Leach: 132

Library trustees: Julia Bogardus, 131; Christine Gregoire, 24

Sherburne-Earlville Central School District

Budget: (+.13%) $36,628,959

School board (1): Myria Allen and Gary Miller

Unadilla Valley Central School District

Budget (+.3%) $23.5 million: Yes, 170; No, 22

Propositions: lease three buses: Yes, 176; No, 15, establish capital reserve fund: Yes, 168; No, 22; and South New Berlin Library budget: Yes, 73; No 11.

School board (2): Linda Tuller: 174; Tammie Emrich: 163

DELAWARE COUNTY

Andes Central School

Budget (+1.45%) $4,559,034: Yes, 59; No, 19

Proposition bus purchase for $60,616: Yes, 65; No, 13

School board (1): Jason Mondore: 68

Charlotte Valley Central School

Budget (+5.10%) $11,407,266: Yes, 92; No, 16

Proposition lease a bus: Yes, 90; No 18; Increase Capital Reserve Fund to $3 million: Yes, 90; No, 18.

School board (2): Robert Dianich, 81; Matt Moyse, 66; and Christine Pierce, 51.

Delaware Academy and Central School District at Delhi

Budget: (+2.4%) $21,568,423: Yes, 614; No, 139.

School board (3): Lucy Kelly: 498; Seth Haight: 488; Sean Leddy: 369; Sean Secord: 309; Nathaniel McCarthy: 255; Lauren O'Leary: 252 and William Outsen: 1 write-in.

Deposit Central School

Budget (+.14%) $17,788,865: Yes, 188; No, 48

Proposition: two buses: Yes, 183; No, 53

School board (1): Dean Price: 160.

Downsville Central School — No results were received as of press time.

Budget: (+3.75%) $11,530,721

Proposition: establish a capital reserve fund

School board (1): Brian LaTourette

Franklin Central School

Budget (+1.73%) $8,067,691: Yes, 176; No, 52

Proposition: bus purchase: Yes, 180; No, 48; and establish a capital reserve fund: Yes, 187; No, 41

School board: (1): Shannon Hyzer: 95; Brad Taggart: 74; Amanda Groff: 61.

Hancock Central School

Budget (+4.89%) $12,300,741: Yes, 116; No, 50

Propositions: library budget: Yes, 136, No, 32; bus purchase: Yes, 116; No, 51; establish a capital reserve fund for construction projects: Yes, 119; No, 48; establish a capital reserve fund for bus purchases: Yes, 107; No, 45

School board (2 three-year terms): Gene Homer: 134, Todd Jacobs: 131; (1 two-year term): Nicolas Hazen Sr., Cliff Johnston: 100

Library board (2): Gerald DaBrescia: 132, William Gross: 136.

Margaretville Central School — no results were received as of press time.

Budget: (+0%) $11,858,953

School board (2): Kent Brown and Andrea Cahill

Roxbury Central School

Budget: (+.05%) $10,214,367: Yes, 111; No, 24

Proposition: establish capital reserve fund for bus purchases: Yes, 110; No, 25

School board (1): Denise Johnston 117

Sidney Central School

Budget: (+3.91%) $28,797,209: Yes, 157; No, 32

Propositions: establish capital reserve fund: Yes, 154; No 34; Sidney Memorial Library budget: Yes, 163; No, 26.

School board (2): Corbin Curley: 169; Kerri Green: 123 and Jolene Scott: 55.

South Kortright Central School

Budget (+4.06%) $10,881,470: Yes, 175; No, 33

Proposition: purchase two school buses: Yes, 181, No, 26

School board (1): Allen McClure: 126; and Brent Trimbell: 79.

Stamford Central School — no results were received as of press time.

Budget: (+.95%) $10,379,007

Proposition: bus purchase

School board (2): Christopher Albano, Deborah Muller and Catherine Snyder

Walton Central School — no results were received as of press time.

Budget: (+2.58%) $22,866,338

Proposition: bus leases

School board (3): Kevin Charles, write-in

OTSEGO COUNTY

Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District

Budget: $14,211,463: Yes, 192; No, 66

Proposition: Purchase of (2) 65 passenger buses, $232,000: Yes, 178; No, 78; (1) 7 passenger vehicle, $45,000: Yes, 187; No, 70; Cherry Valley Memorial Library: Yes, 162; No, 95

School board (1): Erin VanDewerker Seeley: 216

Cooperstown Central School District

Budget (+4.81%) $21,917,107: Yes, 393; No, 106

Proposition lease two (2) 63 passenger buses, $199,000: Yes, 427; No, 88

Cooperstown Library Budget: Yes, 408; No, 88

School board (2): Peter Iorizzo: 303; Cody Moore: 300; Alicia Chase, 267

Edmeston Central School District — no results were received as of press time.

Budget (+ 0.696%): $10,286,391

Proposition: Three (3) Buses, $273,000

School board (2 3-year terms, and 1 2-year term through June 30, 2024): Timothy Johnson, Christina Staples, Danica Cannon, Jeremy Robinson

Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School District — no results were received as of press time.

Budget (+ 3.83%): $10,695,500

School board (4): Jeremy Pain, Christopher Ostrander, Sarah Green, Brenda Friedel.

Laurens Central School District

Budget (+0.45%) $10,288,927: Yes, 116; No, 9

Proposition one 65 passenger bus, $147,326: Yes, 117; No, 6

School board (1): Cynthia Struckle: 115

Milford Central School District

Budget (+1.59%) $ 11,322,140: Yes, 144; No, 24

School board (3) 3-year terms: Marion Mossman, Kenneth Stanford, Kyle Lamp; (1) 1-year term through June 30, 2023: Crystal Huffsticker-Reder 25 write-in.

Morris Central School District — no results were received as of press time.

Budget (+ 5.06%): $10,164,634

School board (2): Mary Dugan, Charles Fraser, Teresa DeLaurentiis

Oneonta City School District

Budget (+ 0.357%) $42,262,416: Yes, 432; No, 61

Proposition: Purchase of (2) 66 passenger buses, $237,641: Yes, 425; No, 68

School board (3 3-year terms, and 1 remainder of term May 18-June 30, 2023): Shari Johnson Ploutz: 363; Ryan Swan: 319; Maureen Artale: 315, Shawn Beckerink: 285; Joseph Temming.

Richfield Springs Central School District — no results were received as of press time.

Budget (+2.13%): $12,903,098

Proposition: two (2) sixty-four passenger school buses and (1) van, $285,000; Repair Reserve Fund, $100,000

School board (2): Candidate names not provided.

Schenevus Central School District

Budget (+ 7.00%) $10,252,712: Yes, 193; No, 122 — passed by three votes as a 60% supermajority was needed to pass.

Proposition: 1 65-passenger school bus, $129,800: Yes, 197; No, 116; creation of a capital reserve fund: Yes, 217; No, 97.

School board (1): Serenity Beardslee: 208

Unatego Central School District

Budget (+ 2.19%): $ 23,802,607: Yes, 144; No, 45

School board (1): Jilene Nordberg: 169

Worcester Central School District

Budget (+1.6 %) $11,885,006: Yes, 103; No, 37

Proposition creation of a Capital Reserve Fund: Yes, 109; No, 31

School board (1): Tanya Shalor: 119.

SCHOHARIE COUNTY

Jefferson Central School

Budget: Yes, 69; No, 29

Bus purchase: Yes, 68; No, 30

Repair transfer: Yes, 78; No, 19

School board (1): Andy Van Glad: 83; Jon Lease: 1 write-in.

Schoharie Central School

Budget $25,895,704: Yes, 231; No, 94

Bus purchase: Yes, 226; No, 94

Schoharie Library: Yes, 222; No, 103

Repair reserve: Yes, 226; No, 96

Capital project: Yes, 211; No, 113

Energy Performance Project: Yes, 217; No, 107

School board (3): Tara Barton: 220; Terry Burton: 220; Daniel Guasp: 192; Laura Rosenthal: 178.

Sharon Springs Central School

Budget: Yes, 125; No, 22

Proposition bus purchase: Yes, 116; No, 24

Building project: Yes, 120; No, 27

School board (2): Brandi Kerber: 83; Kelly Button: 48.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221. Follow her @DS_VickyK on Twitter.