With little opposition in both districts, the North Colonie and South Colonie central school districts’ budgets were passed Tuesday, May 20, as tallies were totaled from the 11 polling sites combined within the two districts.
In North Colonie, voters approved a $88.5 million budget by 1,560 to 771, representing a 3.76 percent property tax increase. The 2,331 voters cast their ballots in all of the district’s elementary schools from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
On top of the nearly $9 million budget, residents also voted to have Joan Hart return to her seat on the board for the next five years, with 1,770 votes. Theresa Joslin kept her seat on the board, with 1,670 votes, completing a two-year term that began when she took the place of David Rosenthal.
Voted new to the board Tuesday night, with 1,047 votes, was Sandy Pangburn. Pangburn ran against Jeffrey Covington, who received 608 votes, and Rena Riccardi Hurley, who received 323 votes.
Pangburn will be filling a seat for a five-year term beginning July 9.
North Colonie Superintendent Randy Ehrenberg welcomed Pangburn to the board and said she was excited about the turnout of this year’s voters.
We’re so very happy that the taxpayers of North Colonie supported us, said Ehrenberg, `We had a 69.9 percent pass rate [of the budget].`
According to Ehrenberg, this year’s budget process was unique because of the combination between the North Colonie and Maplewood school districts, but that the turnout was still successful.
`I think that North Colonie has been long denoted as one of the best school districts in the area,` said Ellen Elie, a North Colonie voter from Watervliet who voted to pass the budget. `This budget has increases for all improvement necessities.`
Samantha McCabe of Latham voted for the budget because of the programs it supports.
`I believe in the programs in the schools in this district,` she said, while she stood at the polls with her daughter.
Brian Cook, of Latham, voted for the budget simply because his son attends school in the district.
In the South Colonie Central School District, the $88.2 million budget was approved by 1,439 votes, representing an about 3.92 percent property tax increase and an approximately 5.26 percent spending increase.
Richard Bousa, of Colonie, said he voted for the budget because he `always vote[s] yes for the school.`
Bousa has a child who attends Lisha Kill Middle School.
While Bousa said he thinks that there are some areas the district could have been `more disciplined` with its spending, he said he fully supports the district.
South Colonie Central Schools Superintendent Michael Marcelle said that this year’s voter turnout was one of the `better turnouts in the past 10 years.`
Marcelle said the district worked hard to put together the best budget it could that meets the needs of not only the students, but the taxpayers in the district as well.
`This year was truly a team effort,` he said. `We were very successful.`
Heather Newcomb of Colonie said Tuesday she came out to vote for the district as her `civic duty,` and that her children attend school in the South Colonie district.
Diane Jesmonth, of Colonie, said her children also attend school in South Colonie, and said that she voted because, `I think the district does a good job.`
Also at the polls, voters re-elected Robert Domenici and Shelle Jaquish. Domenici was elected to his third five-year term on the board, with 1,610 votes, while Jaquish was elected to her second five-year term, with 1,486 votes.“