Roundup of area school budget votes

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Whitehall Mayor Julie Eagan casts her ballot in the Whitehall Central School District’s budget vote and school board elections on Tuesday, May 16. The $20.1 million budget proposal was approved handily and a proposal to reduce the size of the Board of Education from nine to seven members failed because of a deadlocked vote. (Photo by EJ Conzola II)

By EJ Conzola II and Doug La Rocque

Voters in the Whitehall Central School District handily approved the district’s proposed 2023-24 budget on Tuesday, May 16, while a proposal to reduce the size of the Board of Education from its current nine members to seven was defeated after failing to receive a majority of votes.

District residents voted 140 to 27 to approve the $20.1 million spending plan, which will increase the tax rate by roughly 0.5% over the current year. The higher rate represents the first increase in three years.

Overall spending will grow from $19.4 million in the current year to $20.1 million next, an increase of $735,000 or about 3.8%. But the tax levy will only increase by about $28,000, thanks to a substantial jump in the amount of state aid the district is slated to receive under the state budget approved May 2 – more than a month late.

The district budget contains no single large area of increased spending, although taken together salaries and benefits for teachers, administrators and support staff – most of which are set by contract – accounted for most of the increase. Rising fuel costs, both for heating and vehicles, also contributed to the higher spending.

A proposal to reduce the size of the school board put forth earlier this year failed after receiving an equal number of votes in favor of and opposed to eliminating two board seats. Board members cited the difficulty in finding candidates interested in running for the positions in proposing the change.

The district had originally reported the proposal had been approved 86-84, but a recount of the paper ballots left the vote tied at 84 for each position. That means all five candidates who filed petitions for the five available board seats have been elected, Superintendent Patrick Dee said in an email.

Incumbent Jared Mowatt, who was first elected to fill an unexpired term last year as a write-in candidate, led all candidates with 135 votes, followed by fellow incumbents Richard LaChapelle with 122 votes and Patricia Norton with 116. Newcomer Randall Lambert secured the fourth full three-year term and current board President Roxanne Waters will return to the board to serve the remaining year of a vacancy created when Carrianne Arquette resigned to take a position as a literacy intervention specialist with the district.

Vote totals for Lambert and Waters were not provided by the district, but the results indicate Lambert finished fourth in the polling, with Waters in fifth. Had the proposal been approved, neither would have been seated when the board reorganizes in July.

District voters also approved the purchase of a new school bus 145-25.

Putnam

Voters in the Putnam Central School District on Tuesday, May 16, rejected a proposed $2.89 million budget for the 2023-34 fiscal year that called for no increase in the tax levy.

The Board of Education must now decide whether to resubmit the plan for a second vote or draft a contingency budget, school superintendent Matthew Boucher said Wednesday.

District residents voted 47 to 60 to reject the budget, which called for a spending increase of $136,000 – a roughly 4.95% increase over the current $2.76 million budget. However, an increase in state aid and the use of part of the district’s fund balance would have meant no increase in the current $1.99 million tax levy.

Boucher attributed the outcome to “a very, very small turnout” of voters and possible complacency on the part of those who felt no increase in the tax levy would produce a positive result.

“If the ‘yes’ voters don’t turn out, you get a loss by 13 votes,” Boucher said.

Boucher noted that many of the district’s “lake voters” – seasonal residents who have a history of supporting the school budget – had not yet returned in time for the vote. Putnam lies between Lake George on the west and Lake Champlain on the east.

The superintendent said he was unaware of any organized opposition to the spending plan.

The district has faced similar situations in the past and, each time, the budget was successful on a revote, Boucher said. He said he anticipates a similar outcome if the school board opts to move forward with another vote, but noted the decision on how to proceed is “totally a board decision.”

In the contest for a single open seat on the school board, Alexis Harrington, who was the only person to file a petition seeking the seat being vacated by board member Charles Bain Jr., received 66 votes to win the position. Write-in candidate Evan Mack tallied 22 votes and two other candidates each garnered one vote.

Bain did not seek re-election.

Granville

Voters overwhelmingly approved a $29.6 million school budget by a 127-25 count. The spending plan reduces taxes by 10% using an increase in state aid and monies moved over from the unincumbered fund balance. It also marked the second time in three years the district has reduced the tax rate. Incumbents John Troy and Michelle O’Brien were re-elected to board seats. They will be joined by Priscilla Brown, who will replace Audrey Hicks, who did not seek another term.

Hartford

Voters here strongly favored the 2023-24 budget with a 101 to 13 approval margin. A vehicle purchase proposition was approved as well. Incumbent Ron Smith was elected to another term on the school board.

Argyle

Voters favored the proposed school budget by a 165-31 margin. Also approved was a Capital Reserve proposition by a 166-26 vote. The Library Appropriation garnered favor as well, 151-45. School Board incumbent Rodney Saunders was re-elected. He ran unopposed.

Cambridge

The vote on the $24.8 million budget was much closer than most around the county with a large turnout. The voters did give the document their approval by the margin of 335-295. Propositions for leasing three school buses and a public library appropriation were also approved. Edmund (Ted) Flint and Joseph Hamilton were unopposed as they sought school board seats.

Fort Ann

Like most other districts around Washington County, voters here approved the proposed school budget by an 85-27 margin. The vote on a bus purchase was 86 for and 26 against. Cathy Graham and Timothy Webb Jr. were elected to the Board of Education.

Fort Edward

This was another district whose voters were strongly behind the 2023-24 spending plan, saying yes by a 143-37 margin. Propositions for a Capital Reserve Fund, a vehicle purchase and annex property transfer were also approved. No results on school board seats were available.

Hudson Falls

Following the trend for all but one school district in the county, the $53 million budget proposal was approved 260-60. Propositions to purchase new school buses and add to the Capital Reserve account were approved. An Energy Performance Contract that allows the district to make energy-efficient improvements without the need for increased taxes garnered approval with 290 yes votes to just 32 opposed. Voters elected Bryan Steele and Megan Borlang to serve five-year terms on the school board.

Greenwich

There was no black magic taking place in the district whose sports teams are known as the Witches, at least when it came to the annual school budget proposal. Voters said yes by a 322-116 margin. The library appropriation was also approved. Heather Mattison was elected to the school board.

Salem (Washington Academy)

The budget for the 2023-24 school year was approved by a 172-68 vote. A vehicle lease proposition gained voter approval by a 199-41 margin. Also approved was the appropriation for the Bancroft Library, 204-36. The votes for the school board seats are still being tabulated.

White Creek

Students in the southern part of the town attend the Hoosick Falls Central Schools. There, the budget was approved 321-84. Propositions for a bus and land purchase also garnered the voters’ approval. Tim Stratton Jr. and Jackolyn Houghton were elected to the school board.