School budget votes roundup in Saratoga County
SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. » In a unique, absentee ballot-only voting process, area residents largely voted to pass school budgets throughout the districts of Saratoga County.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order that all school districts in the state must hold their budget votes and board elections exclusively via absentee ballots, which were mailed to all qualified voters with return postage paid.
All ballots received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16 were to be counted, and local school districts began announcing results that evening.
Saratoga Springs City School District
Residents of the Saratoga Springs City School District approved the proposed $132,397,035 school budget for 2020-2021 by a vote of 7,128 to 2,724.
In addition, the bus bond proposal to purchase six 66-passenger school buses, one 30-passenger bus, one 24-passenger bus, and four SUVs for transporting students was approved by a vote of 7,102 to 2,695.
The Saratoga Springs Public Library budget passed by a vote of 6,999 to 2,840. Heather Crocker and Terrance Diggory were elected to the Library Board of Trustees.
Voters also elected Tony Krackeler, Anjeanette Emeka, and Erika Borman to the Board of Education for three-year terms.
“I want to thank the community for the positive response and continued support of our programs and opportunities for our students,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton said in a statement.
Ballston Spa Central School District
The Ballston Spa community approved the district’s 2020-2021 budget proposal of $93,258,635 with an unofficial vote of 75 percent voting “yes” and 25 percent voting “no.”
The adopted budget reflects a 1.3 percent budgetto-budget increase, and a 3.5 percent tax levy increase. Based on new construction, resulting in increased assessed value across the district, average tax rates are expected to increase by 1.2 percent.
A total of 4,600 voters submitted valid ballots in the 2020 mail-in vote.
Voters also approved a proposition to purchase school buses at a maximum cost of $968,000 as a continuation of the district’s bus replacement plan, and a proposition to collect $58,795 for public library funding.
The Board of Education candidates Katie Whittemore and Matthew Dreher were elected for a threeyear term starting July 2020.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District
The proposed $70.88 million school budget for the 2020-2021 school year was approved by Burnt HillsBallston Lake residents with 3,672 “yes” votes and 1,425 “no” votes, and a passing margin of 72 percent.
The district received a record number of ballots, 5,109, making this the highest number of votes received in known school budget history, by passing the June 2003 school budget, 3,131 votes, as the former highest voter turnout.
Residents also re-elected board members John Blowers and Don Marshall, and newcomer Lakshmi Nagarajan to the board of education.
“With over 5,000 votes cast, our community has sent a very strong message of support for BH-BL,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick McGrath said in a statement. “We appreciate that and we will work hard in the 2020-2021 school year to continue to earn that trust.”
Corinth Central School District
In Corinth, voters approved a $22,791,863 budget for the 2020-2021 school year. The proposal represents a 0.11 percent increase ($25,258) over the current year budget and carries a 2.09 percent tax levy increase.
Two propositions for school bus purchases not to exceed $308,000 and collection of $63,954 toward the expense of operating and maintaining the Corinth Free Library passed as well.
Additionally, Trustee Andrew Kelley was re-elected for another five-year term with 837 votes.
Edinburg Common School District
The Edinburg Common School community passed a $3,646,000 budget and voted for Angela Ludwig to serve a second three-year term on the Board of Education.
Galway Central School District
Galway area voters approved a $22,948,831 budget, along with a second proposition of school bus purchases not to exceed $252,000.
Michelle Bombard and Karen English were reelected to the Board of Education for another fouryear term of office.
Hadley-Luzerne Central School
The proposed budget for the 2020-2021 school year at Hadley-Luzerne Central School passed. Eddie Joe Moulton was elected to the school’s Board of Education and Stephanie Lansburg was approved as a library trustee.
Mechanicville City School District
Residents approved Mechanicville City School District’s $28,392,986 budget for the upcoming school year.
Incumbents John Pugliese and Marlene Tierney were re-elected to serve three-year terms, on the Board of Education commencing on July 1, 2020, and ending on June 30, 2023.
Andrea DiDomenico was elected to serve a five-year term as a Trustee of the Mechanicville District Public Library, commencing on July 1, 2020, and ending on June 30, 2025.
Schuylerville Central School District
Schuylerville Central School District residents passed a $37.4 million budget for the 2020-2021 school year by an absentee ballot vote of 1,202 to 654.
The approved budget carries a 3.4 percent spending increase and an estimated tax levy increase of 2.6 percent. Tax rates for individual properties will be determined over the summer once equalization rates and assessments are available for the district’s seven towns.
“On behalf of the Board of Education and administration, I want to thank the hundreds of community members who took the time to vote via absentee ballot,” Superintendent Dr. Ryan Sherman said in a statement. “We had a record number of participants in this year’s vote and Board of Education election.
“The community’s support of the 2020-21 budget will allow us to continue to provide our students with the high-quality education and exceptional opportunities that have come to define the Schuylerville Central School District.”
Voters elected Bernie Buff and Jack Macica to the Board of Education. Buff had 995 votes and Macica had 983 votes. Macica will fill the unexpired term of Mike Booth, beginning immediately on June 16, 2020, and expiring on June 30, 2021. Buff’s five-year term will begin on July 1, 2020.
In the Schuylerville Public Library Board of Trustees election, voters elected Amy Carpenter and Katie Veltum with 1,209 and 692 votes, respectively.
Shenendehowa Central School District
Budget results were not available prior to print deadline on Wednesday. The process can be viewed via LiveStream. Check out next week’s Community News edition for a full story on the Shen budget results.
South Glens Falls Central School District
South Glens Falls Central School District residents voted to approve the district’s 2020-2021 proposed budget with 2,662 voting in favor and 1,069 voting against the $59,967,402 spending plan for the school year. The proposed plan calls for a $1,516,224 or 2.59 percent - increase in spending over the current year’s budget.
“This year’s budget process was unlike any other, but we appreciate the collaborative nature of our staff and the community as we worked to prepare a budget that was acceptable to taxpayers and maintained programming,” Superintendent of Schools Kristine Orr said in a statement. “I am thankful to our community for supporting this year’s budget.”
Voters also approved a $611,452 proposal to purchase two 72-passenger school buses, two 66-passenger school buses and two 30-passenger school buses with 2,432 voting in favor and 1,292 voting against it.
Finally, three candidates were elected to the board of education. Community members elected Dr. Christine Dawson, William Elder and Lisa Hogan to serve three-year terms, beginning July 1, 2020.
Counting the votes took longer than expected because one of the countyissued voting machines malfunctioned and the district’s four election inspectors had to hand count the majority of the ballots.
Stillwater Central School District
Stillwater residents approved the district’s 20202021 budget with 1,023 yes votes and 364 no votes.
The $26,181,978 budget carries a $868,641, or 3.43 percent, spending increase over the current year and a 4.28 percent increase in the tax levy. Final tax rates will be set in August.
“I want to thank all of the Stillwater community members who mailed in their votes this year,” Superintendent Patricia Morris said in a statement. “I know this year was a little different in regard to the voting process, however, we are glad the results show that our community continues to value a quality education for our students.”
Residents also elected William Callanan, Brian McNeil, David Giso, and Shay Valiorsky to the Stillwater Board of Education.
Callanan, McNeil, and Giso will each serve a threeyear term, beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2023. Valigorsky will serve a one-year term ending June 30, 2021.
By a margin of 959 to 424, residents approved the Stillwater Public Library’s proposed budget of $296,900. This money will be collected by the district and then forwarded to the library. The library has the same service boundary as the school district, however, the Stillwater Public Library is not governed by the district.
Mary Herlt, Meghan Stevens, and Linda Tracy all received votes for Stillwater Public Library board seats.
Waterford-Halfmoon Union Free School District
The school budget passed in the Waterford-Halfmoon district, and three Board of Education candidates were re-elected. They are Jamie Maloney, David Lee, and Jack Catanzarita.