Published: May 20, 2009 01:44 am      

SCHOOL VOTES: All 6 school district budgets pass

All six Eastern Niagara County public school districts received passing grades on their proposed budgets Tuesday.

As all of the districts’ 2009-10 school year budgets passed with flying colors, so did three incumbent Board of Education members who were re-elected in Lockport. But there will be some change in the Newfane School District: Two new members will take seats at the Board of Education table.

Lockport City School District’s budget was passed by a 692-415 vote. The $77 million budget would require an increase in the tax levy of about 0.25 percent. The tax levy is the total amount of money from property taxes needed to fund a school district. The budget, itself, is an increase of 4.95 percent from the current school year’s budget.

“We are thrilled,” Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone said. “We worked hard on this budget and we are very happy with the support we received from the voters.”

Incumbent board members John Linderman, Allan Jack and James Gugliuzza were re-elected to Lockport’s three open seats on the Board of Education. Linderman drew 855 votes, followed by Jack with 817 votes, Gugliuzza with 685 votes and resident Emma Hamilton with 572 votes. Jack said he was thankful to everyone who voted and looked forward to the upcoming year.

“I’ll continue to do my best for the students,” he said.

In Newfane, the two open board seats were filled by residents Kelly Artieri and James Reineke, who were elected to three year terms with 375 and 373 votes, respectively. Incumbent Carl Stieffenhofer just missed re-election, finishing third with 351 votes. Residents Ann Horning and Greg Zaftrow finished with 302 and 200 votes.

Residents also approved the $32,831,229 budget for Newfane by a 574-290 margin. The budget is a spending increase of 2.76 percent and will not raise the tax levy.

Barker’s incumbent board members Gordon Kenyon, Randall Atwater and Ronald Clemens, were re-elected with 237 votes, 219 votes and 220 votes, respectively. Voters also gave their blessing for the creation of a capital reserve fund of $3.5 million by a 191-64 decision. Finally, the district’s $20,202,631 proposed budget for 2009-10 was passed with a 182-77 tally. The budget is a 1.71 percent increase in spending and carries a 2.9 percent increase in the tax levy.

Royalton-Hartland School District residents approved the creation of a capital reserve fund of $1 million with a 232-158 vote. The district’s $23,424,631 budget was also passed by 372-71 count. The budget is a 0.05 percent increase in spending and has no increase in the tax levy. Incumbent board member Patricia Riegle and resident Susan Hughes were elected to the district’s two open board seats with 341 votes and 338 votes, respectively. Both are three-year terms.

Residents gave Starpoint’s budget the nod with a 491-375 decision. The $44,165,176 budget for 2009-10 is a 5.45 percent increase in spending and could carry a 1.38 percent increase in the tax rate. The three open seats on the Board of Education were filled by incumbent board members Rae Amacher, Gregory Brehm and Mark Ewart. They were re-elected to three-year terms with vote counts of 626, 648 and 633.

Wilson residents approved the $23,850,295 budget by a 500-272 vote count. The budget is a 2.56 percent increase in spending and will not have an increase in the tax levy. Incumbent board members Jack Hanna and Michael Leggett were re-elected to three-year terms, with 598 and 619 votes, respectively.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTING RESULTS

• BARKER: Budget and reserve fund approved; Gordon Kenyon, Randall Atwater and Ronald Clemens elected

• LOCKPORT: Budget approved; Allan Jack, James Gugliuzza and John Linderman elected

• NEWFANE: Budget approved; Kelly Artieri and James Reineke elected

• ROYALTON-HARTLAND: Budget and reserve fund approved; Patricia Riegle and Susan Hughes elected

• STARPOINT: Budget approved; Rae Amacher, Gregory Brehm and Mark Ewart elected

• WILSON: Budget approved; SRO proposition defeated; Jack Hanna and Michael Leggett elected