Two write in candidates for the Onteora Central School District Board of Education have emerged to vie with two candidates on the official ballot for the three available seats in the Tuesday, May 20 election that will also see voters choose whether to accept the district’s proposed budget of $51,876,125 for the 2014-2015 school year.
The total amount of spending in the budget proposal increases by $266,685 or 0.52 percent and contains no increase to the tax levy. If the budget is rejected, a State mandated contingency would be put in its place that restricts spending on school equipment, public use of school facilities, technology and capital expenses.
In addition, a second proposition will ask voters to authorize $5 million of funds in the capital reserve and $2 million of unappropriated fund balance in order to fund a $7 million capital project. With the funds for these projects currently in the coffers, the board will not have to borrow anything for the projects and thus it will not raise taxes.
Balloting will take place for three vacancies for Board of Education. However voters will find only two names underneath levers: School Board President Ann McGillicuddy and newcomer Gideon Moor. The line for the third seat on the ballot will be blank. But former school board trustee Rick Wolff and local attorney Tanya Davis have offered their names as write in candidates in the waning moments of the election cycle. Of course, voters may choose any name, regardless of whether it’s a stated candidate or someone else from the district, to write in. The top three vote getters including regular ballots and write-ins will win seats.
Instructions about how to write-in a candidate will be available at the polls.
Voting will take place from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at all four elementary school polling centers. A special meeting of the board will follow the election at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the Onteora Middle-High School in Boiceville, to accept the vote’s cast. Kindergarten-through-grade six students will have an early dismissal on that day at 1 p.m.
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