Chenango Votes On School District Budgets Tomorrow
Published: May 18th, 2009

Afton

Afton’s proposed budget for the 2009-10 academic year is $14,429,118, a $320,215 or 2.27 percent increase. The figure represents an estimated 1.98 percent increase in the local tax levy.

Voters will also decide on a proposition to purchase one new 41-passenger wheelchair-accessible bus for an amount not to exceed $105,000.

The district is seeking to fill one vacancy on the board of education. Vanessa Warren of Afton, who has served for two 5-year terms on the board, is seeking re-election unopposed.

Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the school’s main lobby.

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Bainbridge-Guilford

The Bainbridge-Guilford proposed budget for the 2009-10 academic year is $16,768,639. This figure represents a spending increase of 1.6 percent and an estimated increase in the tax levy of 2.4 percent.

Voters will also decide on a proposition to purchase two new school vehicles at a cost not to exceed $139,000.

The district is seeking to fill three school board vacancies, for which there are three candidates. Incumbents Charles Blincoe and Jason Fleming are seeking re-election. A third candidate, newcomer Brenda Parsons, will also appear on the ballot.

Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. at the district’s two polling locations, the Bainbridge Town Hall and the Guilford United Methodist Church.

Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton

The Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton Central School Board of Education is proposing a $8,249,030 budget for the 2009 /2010 school year, an increase of 3.17 percent. The increase represents a $253,962 rise. Last year’s tax levy increase was 1.9 percent; the 2009/2010 proposed tax levy increase is 2.1 percent.

There are two openings on the G-MU Board of Education in a race with no incumbents and three new candidates. Board members Frederic Johnson and Parris Roseboom both decided against seeking reelection. Larry Smith, Richard Smith (no relation) and Katherine Schmidt are running for the open positions.

Residents will vote from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the G-MU school lobby.

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Greene

Greene’s proposed budget for the 2009-10 academic year totals $22,083,389, which represents an increase in spending of $38,265, or .17 percent, over the current year. The impact on district residents will be an estimated tax levy increase of .51 percent, the first increase in two years.

There are two vacancies on the board of education. Only one person, incumbent Richard Boeltz, turned in a petition to be included on the ballot. A paper ballot system will be used to facilitate the write-in process.

Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the lobby of the Middle School/High School Auditorium.

Norwich

Norwich’s $37,873,070 proposed budget represents a $335,756, or .86 percent, increase in spending over the current year’s budget. The estimated impact on the tax levy is an increase of 2.72 percent.

The district seeks to fill three positions on the board of education. Incumbents Joe Stagliano, Sally Chirlin and Perry Owen are seeking re-election, and Norwich resident Mark Hollifield will also appear on the ballot.

Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. at the district’s four polling locations: Guernsey Memorial Library, Norwich High School, the Plymouth Firehouse and the Preston Firehouse.

Oxford

Oxford residents will vote on the district’s 2009-10 proposed budget, which totals $17,228,700. That figure represents an increase in spending of $93,637, or .55 percent, over last year’s budget. The impact on taxpayers will be an estimated increase in the tax levy of 2.5 percent.

Residents will also be voting on two propositions, the first of which is increase in library appropriations of $2,425 per year to total $126,401. The second proposition concerns the authorization to purchase one 72-passenger school bus and one wheelchair accessible bus for an amount not to exceed $126,401.

District residents will also decide on two board of education seats. Peter Heggie, Jr. of Oxford will be the sole name on the ballot. A paper ballot system will be used to facilitate the write-in process.

Polls will be open from 1 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 in the Oxford Academy High School Media Center.

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Otselic Valley

The Otselic Valley Board of Education has proposed a budget of $9,056,933 for the 2009/2010 school year. The budget represents a year to year budget increase of 2.48 percent, over last year’s $8,837,381 budget. The tax levy increase will be 3.87 percent. The district made reductions to some programs to decrease the budget total. Retirements also helped to bring the total costs down.

Voting will take place at both the Georgetown Elementary School and the South Otselic High School building. Madison County residents must vote at the elementary school, while Chenango County residents must vote at the high school.

In addition to the budget vote, residents will be asked to vote on a bus purchase proposal. The proposal is for the purchase of one 30 passenger bus and one 64 passenger bus in an amount not to exceed $145,177.36.

Lifelong Georgetown resident Doug Evans will be running for a seat on the school board this year. Evans, a current board member, is running for a five year term.

Sherburne-Earlville

The Sherburne-Earlville School District has proposed a budget of $27,833,948 for the 2009/2010 school year. The budget represents an increase of 3.9 percent over the 2008/2009 budget of $26,788,214, and a tax levy increase of 2.91 percent. The proposed Sherburne budget indicates approximately the same increase the district saw from the 2007/2008 school year to 2008/2009. The district said retirements, resulting in a reduction of staff, provided considerable savings to the district. According to the school’s budget report, the proposed tax levy increase is about a percent less than the rate of inflation.

One seat on the Sherburne-Earlville Board of Education will be up for grabs on Tuesday. Board President Doug Shattuck’s term will expire on June 30, 2009. Shattuck is seeking re-election.

Sherburne residents can vote from noon to 9 p.m. in the elementary school foyer or the middle school / high school auditorium.

Unadilla Valley

The Unadilla Valley Board of Education is proposing a $20,252,752 budget for the 2009 /2010 school year, an increase of 2.15 percent, The increase represents a $426,660 rise in last years 2008/2009 budget of $19,826,092. The tax levy increase is $129.636, which is 3.5 percent. The district cut 6.5 positions in the new budget through attrition and retirement.

There are two openings on the board of education and three candidates. Incumbents Edmond S. Caputo and Brian Brennan seek reelection to their seats, while Clifton J. Frink is seeking his first term.

Residents in the Unadilla Valley School District will vote on the measure and on the district school board candidates Tuesday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Unadilla Valley Central School District Office lobby.

There will be two additional propositions also up for vote Tuesday. The first proposal requests the purchase of two 66-passenger buses and one, new, 5 to 7 passenger bus in an amount not to exceed $220,000.

The second is authorization to levy an additional $4,000 annually for the New Berlin Library.



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