The proposition to increase taxes for the Phoenicia Library was narrowly defeated at the polls, 634 to 613. With a margin of only 21 votes, absentee ballots could reverse the outcome. Ulster County Board of Elections commissioner Tom Turco reported that 188 absentee ballots were sent out in Shandaken, and 139 had been returned as of November 9. Any ballot postmarked by November 7 and received by November 15 will be counted. The ballot count should be done by Thursday, November 17, since townships have to turn in their budgets by November 21.
Library director Elizabeth Potter has said a defeat of the proposition would mean cutting back programs and the library’s opening hours.
The only other local voting in Shandaken was for a part-time assessor to fill out three years of the four-year term of Fionna Tanzillo, elected last November and withdrawing from office as of this December 31. Janet Klugiewicz of Phoenicia, a Democrat, ran unopposed and received 855 votes. There were five write-ins for other candidates.
