School Budgets, Candidates On Ballot Tomorrow
Published: May 17th, 2010
By: Melissa Stagnaro

Afton

Afton residents will vote on the district’s 2010-11 proposed budget, totalling $14,450,939. That figure represents an increase in spending of $21,821, or .51 percent, over last year’s budget. The impact on taxpayers will be an estimated tax levy increase of 2.87 percent.

Voters will also vote on a proposition to authorize the purchase of one 65-passenger school bus for an amount not to exceed $99,000.

District residents will also decide who will fill one vacancy on the board of education. Henry Bostelman will be the sole name on the ballot for the five-year term.

Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18 in the Afton Central School lobby.

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Bainbridge-Guilford

Bainbridge-Guilford’s proposed budget for the 2010-11 academic year totals $16,403,196; a 2.2 percent, or $365,443, decrease in spending compared to the current year’s spending plan. The impact on taxpayers will be an estimated increase in the tax levy of 1.9 percent.

Residents will also vote on a proposition to authorize the district to borrow $99,000 to purchase a school bus to replace an existing vehicle in the B-G fleet.

District residents will also decide on two board of education seats, each of which carries a three year term. Two names will appear on the ballot: incumbent Nancy Hinkley and newcomer Michelle Gifford.

Polls will be open from Noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at the Bainbridge Town Hall and Guilford Town Hall.

Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton

The Gilbertsville Mt. Upton Central School District has proposed a $8,867,844 for the coming school year.

The 2010-2011 budget adopted by the G-MU School Board calls for a 3.81 percent increase in the local tax levy.

The budget represents a $272,975 short fall in state aid revenue and is .725 percent higher than last year’s budget, not counting the school’s pending building project which taken into account puts the budget 7.50 percent above last year’s. G-MU Superintendent Glenn R. Hamilton said funding for the building project had no effect on the proposed tax levy increase.

Tuesday’s vote will also includes a proposition for the district to establish a $500,000 Captital Reserve Fund. The fund is aimed at replacing equipment, including buses, wthin state recommended replacement schedules. The fund would be established for a maximum of 10 years and currently 90 percent of its costs are being reimbursed by state aid.

There are two board of education seats open on the ballot. Current board member Mark Talbot has decided not to seek re-election. Joe Gonzalez is seeking re-election and Mark Muller is seeking to fill Talbot’s vacancy.

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Greene

Greene voters will cast their ballots for or against the district’s 2010-11 proposed budget, which totals $23,910,568. That figure represents an increase in spending of $1,827,179, or 8.27 percent, over last year’s budget. The impact on taxpayers will be an estimated increase in the tax levy of 2.88 percent.

District residents will also decide who will fill three vacancies on Greene’s board of education seats. Five candidates are vying for the three positions, each of which carries a three-year term. They are incumbents Chris Cox and Helen Hunsinger; and challengers Justin Fitzgerald, Ethan Day and Ellen Sherwood.

Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 in the Middle/High School Auditorium Lobby.

Norwich

Residents of the Norwich City School district will vote yes or no on the district’s proposed spending plan for the 2010-11 academic year. The tentative budget, which totals $37,090,193, represents a $782,877, or 2.07 percent, decrease in spending as compared to the current year. The impact on taxpayers will be an estimated tax levy increase of 3 percent.

Residents will also vote on Guernsey Library’s proposed budget, totalling $954,516.

District residents will also decide who will fill three vacancies on the Norwich board of education. Current school board president Robert (Bob) Patterson and incumbent school board member Bill Loomis will appear on the ballot, as will challengers Clyde Birch, Heather Collier, Mark Hollifield, Linda Horovitz, Thomas Morrone and David Older.

Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18 in the district’s four polling locations: District 1, Guernsey Memorial Library; District 2, Norwich High School; District 3, Plymouth Firehouse; and District 4, Preston Firehouse.

Oxford

Oxford residents will vote on the district’s 2010-11 proposed budget, which totals $17,087,976. That figure represents a decrease in spending of $140,724, or .82 percent, from last year’s budget. The impact on taxpayers will be an estimated increase in the tax levy of 3.9 percent.

Residents will also be voting on two propositions, the first of which concerns the Oxford Memorial Library’s proposed budget totalling $128,298, an increase of $1,897 over the current year. The second proposition concerns the authorization to purchase two 72-passenger school bus and one passenger van for an amount not to exceed $260,000.

District residents will also decide who will fill one vacancy on the board of education. Current school board president Robin DeBrita and challenger Joseph Spence of Oxford will both appear on the ballot.

Two positions on the library’s board of trustees will also be filled. Incumbents June Burroughs and William Browen will both appear on the ballot, as will challenger Larena Auwarter.

Polls will be open from 1 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18 in the Oxford Academy High School Media Center.

Unadilla Valley

The Unadilla Valley School District is proposing a $19,614,309 budget for 2010-2011 with no increase in the local tax levy.

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The board’s proposed budget represents a 3.15 percent reduction in spending from last year and includes around $638,443 in reduced expenditures.

The budget may also include the elimination of about 23 positions and provides no funding to several sports and programs.

UV’s propsition one on the ballot asks voters to approve up to $210,000 for the purchase of two new 66-passenger buses, which will be raised though taxable property of the district. Also a second proposition is asking for the district to transfer $350,000 from the capital reserve fund to the tax certiori Reserve Fund.

The UV Board of Education will have two vacancies on the ballot with three contenders seeking the 3-year terms.

The open seats are currently occupied by Brian Burchill, who has served the district for 11 years, and Board Vice President Stan Foulds, who has served for 12 years. Both men are running for re-election. Challenger Clifton J. Frink is seeking one of their seats in the election.




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