District voters pass both school budgets

HARLEM VALLEY — Voters approved both Webutuck’s and Pine Plains’ school district budgets on Tuesday, May 19, as well as all separate propositions the boards put up for consideration.

Public OKs donation of
Amenia Elementary building

In Webutuck, approximately 75 percent of voters (298 total) approved the budget, while 103 voted against it. In a separate proposition, about 70 percent (275 voters) approved the Board of Education to donate (technically it would sell the building for $1) the Amenia Elementary School building to the town of Amenia. Members of the Town Board, some of whom have suggested using the building as a permanent town hall, will still need to vote on whether to accept the building before the transfer is complete.

Two Board of Education seats were up for re-election. Both incumbents ran unopposed (although there were some write-ins on the day of the election) and won their seats. Current board President Dale Culver received 284 votes; John Perotti received 297.

“For the fiscal strength of the district, this budget needed to pass,� Culver said after the election. “The board is looking at long-term plans to try to keep the district as fiscally strong as we can.�

Culver mentioned three areas that he considered top priority in the immediate future.

“We need to get the special education and 504 situation under control and strengthened,� he said, “to make sure every child’s needs are met 100 percent. We need to finish realignment, and have the people and pupils deployed in situations that give us the best chance for academic success... But really the top priority is to bring in a top-notch high school principal.�

Former Principal Jay Posephney resigned from his position at the end of March; Jack Biasotti has been acting as interim principal since then. Culver reported that interviews for the position were held on May 20, and that “the process will end when the Board of Education has someone they wish to have that position, and not until.�

Pine Plains gets new buses,

money to repair building

In Pine Plains, 56 percent (500 voters) supported the budget, while 397 voters opposed its adoption. There were two separate propositions on the table, the first for the purchase of five new buses for the district. Fifty-seven percent (505) of voters approved the purchase. The second proposition was for capital improvements on the Seymour Smith Elementary building. Sixty percent voted yes.

Three Board of Education seats were up for election, with six candidates running. John Shea received the most votes with 457, and incumbents Bruce Kimball, the board’s vice president, and current BOE President Helene McQuade, were re-elected with 448 and 439 votes, respectively.

“I’d like to thank everyone that voted and all those that prepared the budget, as well as [District Clerk] Joanne Gorman for the wonderful job she does,� said Shea during opening comments at the May 20 board meeting.

During that same meeting, McQuade expressed her appreciation to the community for its support, and said she was “grateful and humbled, because we have a responsibility to the community that supports us.�

District Superintendent Linda Kaumeyer additionally thanked those in the community who took part in the process, especially those who came out to budget workshops and public meetings.

“The level of participation in terms of interacting with us was very gratifying and more than we’ve had in prior years,� she said.

Both districts’ recently elected board members will be sworn in at their respective reorganization meetings in July. The next Webutuck Board of Education meeting will be held June 1; Pine Plains’ will be held on June 3.

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