Tax increase expected in Charleroi School District budget

Voters headed to the polls yesterday, voting on their school budgets and electing members of their school boards.

Superintendent Michael Pero also stated on the district website that the district could hold a second vote with a higher tax levy that the one already presented.

The school budget was approved in a 247 to 137 Monday.

Voters approved the Yates Community Library budget in a 171 to 59 vote; authorized establishing a building capital reserve fund with a maximum value of $4 million and a term of 15 years in a 198 to 34 vote; and approved two bus purchases 202 to 28. Members David John and Brian Keating were absent.

The Marcellus Central School District budget passed 527-213.

Last week, supervisors voted to appropriate $1.488 million in additional funds for the Woodbrook project when construction bids went over budget.

According to a letter from the district, “candidates in this search were also pursued by other districts at the same time”.

Bodamer said the anticipated retirement of three teachers at the end of the school year, with two replaced, is expected to save the district in instructional salaries, which make up 45 percent of the budget. Harmon Kent III received 94 votes, Monica Waite 195 and Ron Witkowski 81.

The new budget will support the projected enrollment of 895 students as well as 116 district employees and a contracted dentist, physician and athletic trainer.

Four candidates, Catherine Bennett, Jennifer Mehlenbacher, Chris McDonald and Julie Matthews, were elected to four open seats on Geneseo’s board of education. They are up for re-election for three-year terms.

The budget was approved by a vote of 268 to 59. That money will be used to pay for $44,000 worth of Chromebook computers for students, upgrades to school security cameras, a transportation vehicle and a Kubota backhoe for the district, Hanson said.

Winning three-year seats were Chris Schoonmaker, with 885 votes, Megan Snair, with 629, and Breanna Costello, with 611.

Chenango Forks School District: $35,022,521 budget passed by a vote 147 to 38.

Also in a separate proposition, voters will also be asked to authorize the purchase of six school buses for $667,676, bonded over five years.

Randall Snell (288 votes) and Sarah Barnes (262) were elected to three-year school board seats.

The winners in that race are incumbent Lance Dickinson, who was re-elected with 712 votes, or 31.6 percent, and Sarah Roat Waechter, who got 611 votes or 27.1 percent. Monica Morris had 301 votes, Dorothy DiAngelo had 307 and Rachel Towsley had 316. Discussion on the policy will continue at its June meeting, and the policy will be approved by July 1.

Incumbents Amy Stahl, Richard Wilkins III and Andrew Mayo were reelected to the district’s board of education. The levy exceeds the state’s cap for the Rhinebeck district by $456,781. Martin and Young won election with 150 and 127 votes, respectively. Kevin Weaver and James Zappie garnered 65 and 58 votes, respectively.

A separate proposition to create a capital reserve fund also passed, 588-99, while the library proposition passed, 615-86. Voters approved it with 73 percent in favor. Casey received the majority of the votes, with 2,301 and Hoffman received 1,466.