May 19’s vote count is in, and now it’s official. New Paltz Board of Education members accepted voters’ 939-426 approval of the $54.6 million 2015-2016 budget at its meeting on May 20. Voters also passed a $480,000 proposition to buy six new buses for the district.
For one school board member-elect, her service will begin early. Alison Easton — election night’s highest vote-getter — will serve as Tim Rogers’ replacement from May 31 until the Board of Election’s reorganizational meeting in July.
Easton received 930 votes, Michael O’Donnell received 906 and Brian Cournoyer — the sitting school board president — received 880. The three candidates ran uncontested.
But independent of this election, Tim Rogers became New Paltz’s next village mayor. He starts on June 1 and will step down from the school board on May 31.
Eventually, the board will either appoint a replacement or call an election to find Rogers’ replacement. But in the interim, Easton will fill in.
According to Cournoyer, the board is leaning toward an appointment rather than an election.
“We’ve reached out to a few people so far,” the board president said. The district will likely announce its decision in early July, he added.
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