School budgets are approved in 13 of 18 districts

Proposed school budgets for 2008-09 were approved on Tuesday in 13 of 18 districts in Ulster County, Northern Dutchess and Greene and Columbia counties. Budgets were rejected in Kingston, Hyde Park, Marlboro, Wallkill and Pine Plains.

In elections for Board of Education seats, one incumbent was trailing by less than 20 votes in Kingston, while both incumbents seeking re-election in the Onteora district were defeated.

Incumbents also lost in New Paltz, Hyde Park, Marlboro and Wallkill.

Here are the district-by-district results.

Ulster County

Kingston

Kingston school district voters defeated, 2,671-2,351, a proposed $137.61 million budget that would have increased the 2008-09 district tax levy by 3.1 percent, and they elected two newcomers. The race for the third seat was close, with an incumbent trailing.

School district Clerk Camille Ellsworth said the results are considered unofficial until this evening's school board meeting, as affidavit ballots still were coming in, and some of the votes in the Board of Education contests were close.

The budget proposed a spending increase of 5.18 percent and a $589,443 increase in the tax levy, to $79.99 million.

In the contest for three three-year seats on the Board of Education, incumbent Maureen Bowers led the field with 2,725 votes, followed by newcomer Pamela Boyle with 1,742 votes and the Rev. James Childs with 1,684 votes.

Trailing were incumbent Rev. Arthur L. Coston, with 1,665; Richard Amato, 1,660; Michael Gill, 1,558; Jeremy Blaber, 1,172; Todd Langon, 1,095; Lila Davidson, 495; and James Michael, 481.
Ellsworth said some of the totals are "so close that things could change quickly" by this evening's Board of Education meeting.

Onteora

In the Onteora school district, residents voted 2,468-1,165 in favor of a $48.21 million spending plan that projects no increase in the tax levy, but they ousted incumbent trustees in the Board of Education contest.

Three separate ballot propositions were approved.

Voters elected three challengers to three-year terms on the Board of Education and one newcomer to the one-year term.
In the contest for three-year seats, Ralph Legnini led with 2,460 votes, followed by Donna Flayhan, with 2,379, and Ann McGillicuddy, with 2,294. Laurie Osmond was elected to the one-year seat with 2,267 votes.

Defeated were incumbent Cindy O'Connor, with 1,446 votes, Mary Jane Bernholz, with 1,384, incumbent Rita Vanacore, with 1,301, and Adam Pollack, with 739.

The adopted budget increases spending by $1.44 million, or 3.08 percent. The $35.21 million property tax levy remains unchanged.

District voters approved Proposition 2, 2,063-1,529, authorizing the district to spend $189,127 for two school buses. Proposition 3, to spend $1.8 million to renovate middle and high school facilities, was adopted, 2,063-1,457; and Proposition 4, establishing child safety zones on state Route 28 and Upper Boiceville Road, was adopted, 2,642-964.

Rondout Valley

Residents of the Rondout Valley school district approved a $59.06 million budget, 1,010-791.

The budget is $2.27 million, or 3.99 percent, larger than the current year's spending plan and raises the property tax levy by $589,443, or 1.85 percent, to $32,461,041.

Elected to three three-year Board of Education seats were: incumbent James Ayers, with 1,028 votes; incumbent Kent Anderson, with 985; and former Trustee Pamela Longley, with 865 votes.
Trailing were Annette Ludwig with 695 votes and Imre Beke, Jr. with 659.

Saugerties

In Saugerties, school district residents voted in favor of a $52,135,740 budget that increases spending by 4.73 percent, according to Superintendent Richard Rhau, but the vote totals were unavailable Tuesday night.
Under the spending plan, the property tax levy was projected to increase by 4.92 percent.

Residents also elected Thomas Hamm, Steven Haun and Charles Shirmer to three three-year seats on the Board of Education, Rhau said.

The superintendent said none of the results will be official until the school board meets next Wednesday.

Ellenville

Ellenville school district residents voted 504-287 in favor of a $43,202,318 budget that increases spending by $2.27 million, or 6.62 percent, in 2008-09. Under the spending plan, the property tax levy will increase by 3.57 percent to $18,565,712.

Voters also elected three incumbents to three three-year terms on the Board of Education: Santo Rivera, who led other candidates with 625 votes; Carolyn Kuhlmann with 643 votes; and Robert Oehme with 629. A fourth candidate, Francis Gurgui, trailed with 250 votes.

Highland

Highland school district voters approved, 759-270, a $34,232,699 district budget that increases spending by 2.92 percent. The 2008-09 budget will be financed in part by a $19,199,080 property tax levy, which is up 3.67 percent from the current year.

Voters seated two candidates to three-year terms and one candidate to a one-year term on the Board of Education. Incumbent Maria Peterson, who led the field with 624 votes, and incumbent Alan Barone with 562 votes, will serve three-year terms; Scott Greenland received 511 votes to secure the one-year term. Trailing were Paul Kassel with 432 votes and Paul Kandetzke with 393 votes.

Marlboro

Malboro school district voters rejected, 1,074-721, a $46,383,813 budget that would have increase spending by 5.98 percent. Under the proposal, the district property tax levy would have increased by 6.6 percent.

Voters seated three candidates to three-year terms on the Board of Education: incumbent Dean Tamburri, who led other candidates with 1,082 votes; Dennis C. Flynn, with 895 votes; and Stephen E. Jennison with 893 votes. Defeated were incumbent Lewis Rhoades, with 849 votes, and incumbent Edward Pross with 786 votes.

New Paltz

New Paltz school district residents voted 896-471 in favor of a $48.19 million district budget that increases spending by 7.04 percent, or $2.57 million. Under the spending plan, the property tax levy will rise by $1.44 million, or 4.88 percent, to $30.91 million.

Residents also elected two candidates to three-year seats on the Board of Education: Steve Greenfield, who led the field with 867 votes, and incumbent Patrick Rausch, who received 795 votes. Incumbent Michael Swigart trailed with 620 votes.

Wallkill

Residents of the Wallkill school district rejected the proposed $61,689,517 budget, 752-651.

The budget would have increase spending by 5.14 percent and increased the property tax levy by 8.9 percent, to $31,503,379.
Elected to three three-year Board of Education seats were: incumbent Dennis O'Mara, with 856 votes; Vincent Petroccelli, 663; and incumbent Kathryn Anderson, 613. Trailing were incumbent Donna Crowley, with 511 votes; John Gilberto, 478; and Debra Spencer, 364.

Northern Dutchess

Hyde Park

In Hyde Park, school district voters rejected, 1,585-1,483, a proposed $78.39 million budget for 2008-09 that would have increased district spending by $44.28 million, or 5.78 percent.

Voters approved, 1,646-1,417, a proposition to spend $684,341 for buses, vans, trucks, a mower and other maintenance equipment and vehicles.

Winning election to two open seats on the school board were Glenn Watson and Janice Gerth. Incumbent Douglas Hieter was ousted.

Pine Plains

Pine Plains voters rejected, 506-315, a $25.89 million budget for the coming school year that would have increased spending by $1.34 million, or 5.47 percent.

The tax levy under the budget proposal would have increased by $1.66 million, or 10.76 percent, to $17.14 million.

Voters also turned down, in a 468-345 vote, a proposal authorizing the spending of state Excel aid to pay for $3.29 million in renovations at Stissing Mountain Middle/High School and Seymour Smith Elementary School.

In uncontested races, Karen Lindsay and Brian Croghan were elected to three-year terms on the school board.

Red Hook

Red Hook voters approved, 1,017-559, a $41.89 million spending plan that is up $1.57 million, or 3.89 percent over the 2007-08 budget. The tax levy for the adopted budget is $24.91 million, which is up $1.56 million, or 6.68 percent.

A separate proposition to spend up to $70,000 for the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible van was approved, 999-670.

Winning election to two three-year terms on the board were incumbents Sean McLaughlin and Diana Brooks. Incumbent Frank Knobloch was elected to a one-year term.

Rhinebeck

In Rhinebeck, voters approved, in a 656-393 vote, a $26.29 million budget that increases spending by $1.47 million, or 5.93 percent.

The district tax levy was proposed to increase by $1.05 million, or 5.17 percent, to $21.49 million.

A district walk-in voter registration program was also approved by voters, 689-278.

Incumbent trustees Deidre Burns, of 32 Chestnut St., and Dean Vallas, of 37 Wynkoop Lane, were re-elected to three-year terms on the Board of Education in uncontested races.

Greene County

Cairo-Durham

By a vote of 589-336, voters in Cairo-Durham approved a $26.07 million budget that increases spending by $1.12 million, or 4.25 percent, over the current year's spending plan. The 2008-09 budget calls for a property tax levy of $10.82 million, an increase of $99,490, or 0.93 percent.

In Board of Education contests, incumbent William Alfeld defeated challenger Joe Kames, 419-369. Incumbent Susan Kusminsky and newcomer Debra Armstrong were both unopposed for election. Alfeld, Kusminsky and Armstrong will each serve a three-year term.

In a contest for a one-year term on the board, Carl Kohrs defeated David Infantino, 494-279.

District voters also approved, 525-307, an $8.02 million state Excel aid project for renovations, site work, furniture and equipment for district buildings.

Additionally, district voters approved, 560-302, a proposition for the Board of Education elections to be held at large rather than having candidates vie for particular seats. In future elections, the top vote-getters will be elected to available seats on the board.

A proposition to increase the appropriation for the support and maintenance of the Cairo Public Library by $1,000, to $18,500, was adopted, 624-251.

Catskill

By a 90-vote margin, voters in the Catskill school district approved a $37.46 million budget for 2008-09.

The budget, approved 459-369, represents an increase in spending of $3,493,060, or 10.3 percent, over the 2007-08 budget. It calls for a property tax levy of $15.9 million, an increase of $394,971, or 2.55 percent.
Voters also seated three candidates to three-year terms on the Board of Education. Elected were incumbents Andrew Jones and Karen Haas, along with newcomer Matthew Leibowitz. Defeated were challengers Evan Ulscht and Ernest Armstead. Jones received 521 votes; Haas, 517; Leibowitz, 457; Ulscht, 292, and Armstead, 256.

Additionally, voters approved a $456,365 budget for the Catskill Public Library by a vote of 571-263.

Coxsackie-Athens

By a vote of 611-405, voters in the Coxsackie-Athens school district approved a $24.98 million budget, which represents an increase in spending of $1.02 million, or 4.25 percent, from the current year.
The budget calls for a property tax levy of $13.84 million, an increase of $489,784, or 3.67 percent.

In the Board of Education contest, incumbents Joseph Garland and Joseph Cardinale, both of Coxsackie, as well as Michael Petramale of Athens, were unopposed in their bids for three seats on the board, each carrying a three-year term.

Hunter-Tannersville

Voters in the Hunter-Tannersville school district approved a $12.24 million budget, 239-107.

The budget increases spending by $409,674, or 3.46 percent, over the 2007-08 level and carries a property tax levy of $9.23 million, an increase of $375,819, or 4.24 percent.
In the Board of Education race, incumbent Gerry Loucks of East Jewett was unopposed for a three-year term.

Hunter-Tannersville voters also approved a proposition for the purchase of two 66-passenger buses and a 47-passenger bus at a cost of $271,321. The proposition was approved by a vote of 236-101.

Columbia County

Germantown

In Germantown, school district voters approved, 209-156, a $13.75 million budget that increases spending by $527,965, or 3.99 percent, over the current budget. The tax levy under the approved plan will increase $263,633, or 3.52 percent, to $7.76 million.

Incumbent Trustees Ralph DelPozzo and David Forman were re-elected in uncontested races to two four-year seats on the Board of Education.

This report compiled by staff writers Patricia Doxsey, Ariel Zangla, Kyle Wind and Robert M. Miraldi and correspondent William J. Kemble.