WEEDSPORT - Due to rising health, BOCES and retirement costs, Weedsport school district officials are projecting a 6.5 percent school tax increase in May.

The district's annual budget vote is slated for May 17. The budget is up 5.2 percent from last year's total budget of $13,671,567.

In addition to the budget vote, the district will put out two propositions for voters.

One proposition requests approval for the puchase of two new school buses. The other would allow the district to continue to support the Weedsport Free Library.

"These propositions appear on the ballot every year," Superintendent Steven Hubbard said. "We want to continue to support the library and keep our buses up to date."

In other news:

Stuart Shepard was an strong Yankees fan, an Oswego State graduate, a beloved long-time teacher in the Weedsport School District. When he passed away Nov. 3, 2004, his family began to look into ways to carry on his memory.

To help his family achieve their goal, the school board approved the Stu Shepard Memorial Scholarship at the Monday night meeting.

Funded by Shepard's family, and issued by the districts scholarship committee, the scholarship offers one college bound student $250 per year. The criteria for student eligibility will be developed by Shepard's family.

After working for the district for 34 years, Shepard retired in 1997 and moved to Charlotte, N.C. Shepard served as a Weedsport High School math teacher and as the chair for the math department.

He also coached several sports and was an active member of the community.

"It is important that we remember Mr. Shepard, he touched a lot of lives," Weedsport High School Principal Phillip Grome said.

"He was Weedsport, he bled green."

Staff writer Ashley Lipsky can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or at ashley.lipsky@lee.net.