School budget votes roundup

RENSSELAER AND ALBANY COUNTIES» School districts throughout the Capital Region held votes on their 2019-20 school budgets, as well as Board of Education seats and other propositions.

Included among those below were school districts in Rensselaer and Albany counties.

TROY:

Troy City School District residents approved a $114,174,990 budget for the 2019-2020 school year. Three candidates were elected to the Board of Education.

The unofficial results of the budget vote passage are 561 to 141. This budget will result in a 1-percent tax levy increase – a figure that is $326,455 below the allowable tax cap of 1.89 percent.

The 2019-2020 school budget not only maintains the district’s current programs and staff but also adds necessary supports. This includes mental health supports as well as program expansion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

Anne Wager-Rounds, Incumbent (473); Ann Apicella, Incumbent (466); and Ebony PompeyConway (428) were re- elected/ elected to the Board of Education for three-year terms effective July 1, 2019.

“Thank you to the Troy CSD residents for voting in favor of our 2019-2020 budget,” Superintendent John Carmello said.

“We are confident that this budget will allow us to not only continue to offer the high- quality and comprehensive education our residents expect, but to expand our programs and supports to give all of our students the opportunities they deserve,” Carmello added.

“Thank you to the community for taking the time to vote in support of our 2019-2020 budget,” Board of Education President Tom Mayo said.

“Thank you to the Board of Education, the Troy CSD administrators and the Citizens Advisory Committee for their work in developing the plan. Congratulations to Anne Wager-Rounds and Ann Apicella on their reelection to the Board and welcome to new board member Ebony Pompey- Conway,” Mayo concluded.

BRUNSWICK/ BRITTONKILL:

The Brunswick ( Brittonkill) Central School District $25,431,620 budget was approved by a vote of 333 to 132. This budget will result in an estimated 4.25% percent tax rate increase for residents.

Margaret McCarthy (350), Leah Wertz (339) and Jack Roddy (359) were elected to the Board of Education.

LANSINGBURGH:

Residents of the Lansingburgh Central School District voted to reject a $50,039,878 budget for the 2019-2020 school year by a vote of 390 to 284. The 2019-2020 budget required supermajority voter approval (at least 60%) since it exceeded the allowable tax cap and received 57% approval.

The rejected budget represented a 1.3% decrease in spending from 2018-2019. The estimated tax levy increase was 1.00%.

The district has the option of presenting the rejected budget for a re-vote or a revised version of the budget for a vote. If voters reject the proposed budget twice, the district must adopt a contingency budget. A contingency budget requires a 0% tax levy increase and $156,430 reduction from the proposed budget. The contingency budget would prohibit the public use of buildings for non- district related events unless all district expenses are paid in full by donation prior to the event. It would also prevent the district from buying general classroom supplies and the school supplies for every individual student, as it did for the 2018-2019 school year.

Residents also elected James Spear (363) and re-elected Robert Morris (365) to the Board of Education for five-year terms (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2024).

WYNANTSKILL:

The school budget passed 130 to 40. A bus purchase proposition passed 142 to 28. A capital

reserve fund proposition passed 134 to 37. A repair reserve fund proposition passed 136 to 34.

Two candidates were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Education, Cathleen Castle (158) and Andrew Lanesey (141).

AVERILL PARK:

Averill Park Central School District residents voted in support of a $59.6 million budget for the 201920 school year by a vote of 680 to 187, as well as a bus purchase proposition.

The approval of the bus proposition, of 681 to 184, allows the district to purchase eight new school buses and one Kubota compact utility tractor as part of the district’s long-term bus replacement plan.

Averill Park residents also voted for three members on the Board of Education. Elected to the Board, serving three-year terms, is Peter Schaefer (670), Meghan McGarry (557) and Samantha Hicks (529).

SCHODACK:

The Schodack school budget passed 431 to 170. A bus purchase proposition passed 450 to 151. A high school student to join the Board of Education proposition passed 487 to 117.

Four candidates were elected to the Board of Education: Sherri Gibson (426), Dan Grandinetti (406), Shelly Palmer (397) to three-year terms and Bruce Romanchak (353) to a oneyear term.

EAST GREENBUSH:

East Greenbush Central School District residents passed a $95.9 million budget for the 2019-20 school year, as well as the bus purchase proposition that will replace eight school buses out of the bus purchase reserve fund.

The budget represents a 1.76% increase in spending over the current year’s budget and will result in a 3.69% tax levy increase for district residents.

The proposition one 201920 school budget passed 1,222 to 426. Proposition two on school buses from reserve fund passed 1,329 to 314.

Voters elected three candidates to three-year terms on the Board of Education (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022): Karen Curran (1,359), Deanna Muth (1,294) and Michele K. Skumurski (1,330).

BERLIN:

Berlin Central School District residents approved the $21,961,768 budget for the 2019-20 school year by a vote of 201 to 73. A bus proposition also passed 206 to 65 and capital reserve passed 202 to 86.

Residents also voted to fill three seats on the Berlin Board of Education. Rachel Finney (222), Sherry Bowman-Kluck (218) and Jeffrey Paine (197) were re-elected to three-year terms.

HOOSIC VALLEY:

Hoosic Valley Central School District residents approved the 2019-20 budget 353 to 70, and a capital construction reserve fund by a count of 335 to 86. Residents also elected Carolyn Stannard- Carlo (229) to a four-year term on the Board of Education.

WATERVLIET:

Watervliet City School District residents approved the proposed $28,187,000 budget for the 2019-20 school year, 189 to 99.

Sheri Senecal was reelected for a third term to the Board of Education with 162 votes.

“The board is extremely grateful for the community’s support,” Senecal said.

“We thank everyone who participated in the process and came out to vote today,” Senecal added.

The 2019-20 budget reflects a 2.83 percent overall spending increase compared to the current year’s budget, and maintains all academic programs and instructional support. Next year’s budget also expands opportunities for career and technical education through BOCES for high school students, increases support for struggling students, and preserves extracurricular programs.

The budget yields a tax levy increase of 2.4 percent, which is below the district’s limit as determined by the state’s tax “cap” law. As such, a simple majority of voters was needed to approve the budget.

COHOES:

By a vote of 392 to 149, residents of the Cohoes City School District approved a $43,867,736 budget for the 2019-20 school year. The approved budget calls for a 2.2 percent increase in spending from the 2018-19 school year and a 1.75 percent tax levy increase, which is within the district’s calculated tax levy “cap.”

District residents also approved (431 to 104) a proposition that will allow the district to expend funds from its capital reserve. The funds, not to exceed $1,000,000, will be used to reconstruct and renovate the Cohoes Middle School roof and replace the boiler at Harmony Hill.

Residents also voted to fill three seats on the Cohoes Board of Education. Incumbent Mark Pascale received 438 votes and will serve his seventh term on the board. Susan Dion also received 438 votes and will begin serving her first term on the board. The third seat will be filled by virtue of a write-in process. Once it’s determined who received the most write-in votes, the district will contact the winner, determine his/her eligibility to serve as a board member and ask if he/she is interested in serving.