AUBURN - After absentee and affidavit ballots were counted and the voting machines recanvassed, the budget for the Auburn Enlarged City School District has officially been defeated by three votes.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
As Supervisor of Elections Rita Drake posts the unofficial Auburn school board and budget results, from left, Merritt F. Fletcher, Abdur-Rahim Muhammad, Ernest E. Hyde III, David Lansford, Charlie Cator, and Cator's wife, Coylynn, react to the budget result.
As Supervisor of Elections Rita Drake posts the unofficial Auburn school board and budget results, from left, Merritt F. Fletcher, Abdur-Rahim Muhammad, Ernest E. Hyde III, David Lansford, Charlie Cator, and Cator's wife, Coylynn, react to the budget result.
Paper ballots were counted at the district's administrative offices Wednesday morning, and because the numbers were so close, officials went out to recanvass the voting machines.
The final vote count is 1,414 no and 1,411 yes.
The tally as of Tuesday night showed the budget being voted down 1,399 to 1,369. Of 63 paper ballots checked Wednesday morning, five were tossed out after the school district confirmed with the county Board of Elections that the senders were not registered voters.
The school board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Harriet Tubman Administration Building to discuss next steps.
The proposed budget of $66,490,371 carried a tax levy increase of 3.28 percent.
“It's kind of questioning did we have enough information out to the public, because we really felt as a unit, as a school district, we had a very conservative budget,” Superintendent Joseph D. “J.D.” Pabis said Tuesday night.
District officials, board members and hopefuls sat in the hallway of the district office Tuesday night making small talk while waiting for election results, but the chitchat turned to stunned silence when district secretary Karen Vasile announced the budget numbers.
Speculation was abundant on why the budget was on the brink of defeat, with many theorizing there was residual confusion on what people were voting for. For weeks district officials emphasized the budget vote had nothing to do with the upcoming capital project vote, slated for June 26, which includes various upgrades to all district schools as well as the installation of synthetic turf.
“We have to find out why there was confusion, if there was,” Pabis said, “or did the community feel (the budget) was too much to absorb at this time.”
Pabis has repeatedly called the proposed budget - marked by a 4.91 increase in spending over the previous year - a maintenance budget, devised to keep educational programs and faculty at current levels. The only staffing change the budget included was hiring a new custodian.
“We need to assess the message the community got,” Lansford said. “What does it say to us? This is one of the best budgets we've ever seen, and it won't get better than this.”
Now the board will have to decide whether to hold a re-vote or turn to the contingency budget, which caps spending at 3.36 percent and puts at risk $197,777 in equipment purchases and $319,373 in programming, including the custodial position, transportation and field trips, athletics and club activities, summer school and curriculum work, according to past budget presentations given to the board by Business Administrator Marianne O'Connor.
“We do not want program cuts,” Pabis said, “but it might be necessary.”
Pabis had said he was unsure if a solution to the defeat would be ready for the Wednesday nighgt meeting, but it will be for the May 27 meeting at the Auburn High School library.
The board of education will also see a new face, with Karol Soules receiving the most votes in the election with 2,066. Incumbents David Lansford, currently board president, and Charlie Cator, board vice president, won re-election with 1,826 and 1,822 votes, respectively.
Merritt F. Fletcher got 1,017 votes; Ernest Hyde III 722; and Imam Abdur-Rahim Muhammad 373.
Three three-year seats were open on the board; board member Bill Andre opted not to run for his fourth term.
Despite the failed budget, three people are celebrating their victories.
“I'm very pleased,” Lansford said of winning re-election. “I think it's a good time for consistency on the board. I didn't run for re-election because it would be easy. I'm certainly not stepping back from the responsibility to support the school.”
Soules, a former secondary math teacher who volunteers for the district in numerous capacities, said she is excited about her win and is eager to continue her advocacy of education.
“I'm ready to represent the taxpayer,” she said, “and most importantly, the children.”
Fletcher blamed himself for his fourth-place finish as he failed to attend an agreed-upon endorsement interview with The Citizen.
“I have no one to blame but myself,” he said. “The Citizen set me up with an interview and I didn't keep that date. I came in fourth because I hadn't done the interview.”
Ernest Hyde III was pleased he received 300 more votes than last year, he said, and vowed to continue attending board meetings in the hopes of being elected next year.
“I'll be here again,” he said. “I'm not giving up.”
Muhammad expressed his gratitude for every vote cast for him and was pleased that he may have opened doors for others in the future.
“I'm proud that Muslims are involved in the political process,” he said.
Cator's goal was to make the top three in board elections, he said. He acknowledges work still needs to be done. “It's really great I got re-elected,” Cator said, “but we still need to get the budget passed.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
School election recap
Auburn
Budget: Failing (63 absentee ballots remain to be counted)
School board: Soules, Lanford, Cator
Propositions: None
Cato-Meridian
Budget: Passed
School board: Byrne
Propositions: School bus, passed
Jordan-Elbridge
Budget: Failed
School board: Foote, Pieklik, Baner Alley
Propositions: School bus, passed; land purchase, failed; library, passed
Moravia
Budget: Passed
School board: Lyon, Gentilcore
Propositions: School bus, passed; library, passed
Port Byron
Budget: Passed
School board: Vitale, Cusick, Ware
Propositions: School bus, passed; school resource officer, failed; library, passed
Skaneateles
Budget: Passed
School board: Reilley, Stafford
Propositions: School bus, passed
Southern Cayuga
Budget: Failed
School board: Winspear, Lonsky
Propositions: School bus, passed
Union Springs
Budget: Passed
School board: Gavitt, Tabone, Seitz
Propositions: None
Weedsport
Budget: Passed
School board: Brentlinger
Propositions: School bus, passed; library, passed
The final vote count is 1,414 no and 1,411 yes.
The tally as of Tuesday night showed the budget being voted down 1,399 to 1,369. Of 63 paper ballots checked Wednesday morning, five were tossed out after the school district confirmed with the county Board of Elections that the senders were not registered voters.
The school board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Harriet Tubman Administration Building to discuss next steps.
The proposed budget of $66,490,371 carried a tax levy increase of 3.28 percent.
“It's kind of questioning did we have enough information out to the public, because we really felt as a unit, as a school district, we had a very conservative budget,” Superintendent Joseph D. “J.D.” Pabis said Tuesday night.
District officials, board members and hopefuls sat in the hallway of the district office Tuesday night making small talk while waiting for election results, but the chitchat turned to stunned silence when district secretary Karen Vasile announced the budget numbers.
Speculation was abundant on why the budget was on the brink of defeat, with many theorizing there was residual confusion on what people were voting for. For weeks district officials emphasized the budget vote had nothing to do with the upcoming capital project vote, slated for June 26, which includes various upgrades to all district schools as well as the installation of synthetic turf.
“We have to find out why there was confusion, if there was,” Pabis said, “or did the community feel (the budget) was too much to absorb at this time.”
Pabis has repeatedly called the proposed budget - marked by a 4.91 increase in spending over the previous year - a maintenance budget, devised to keep educational programs and faculty at current levels. The only staffing change the budget included was hiring a new custodian.
“We need to assess the message the community got,” Lansford said. “What does it say to us? This is one of the best budgets we've ever seen, and it won't get better than this.”
Now the board will have to decide whether to hold a re-vote or turn to the contingency budget, which caps spending at 3.36 percent and puts at risk $197,777 in equipment purchases and $319,373 in programming, including the custodial position, transportation and field trips, athletics and club activities, summer school and curriculum work, according to past budget presentations given to the board by Business Administrator Marianne O'Connor.
“We do not want program cuts,” Pabis said, “but it might be necessary.”
Pabis had said he was unsure if a solution to the defeat would be ready for the Wednesday nighgt meeting, but it will be for the May 27 meeting at the Auburn High School library.
The board of education will also see a new face, with Karol Soules receiving the most votes in the election with 2,066. Incumbents David Lansford, currently board president, and Charlie Cator, board vice president, won re-election with 1,826 and 1,822 votes, respectively.
Merritt F. Fletcher got 1,017 votes; Ernest Hyde III 722; and Imam Abdur-Rahim Muhammad 373.
Three three-year seats were open on the board; board member Bill Andre opted not to run for his fourth term.
Despite the failed budget, three people are celebrating their victories.
“I'm very pleased,” Lansford said of winning re-election. “I think it's a good time for consistency on the board. I didn't run for re-election because it would be easy. I'm certainly not stepping back from the responsibility to support the school.”
Soules, a former secondary math teacher who volunteers for the district in numerous capacities, said she is excited about her win and is eager to continue her advocacy of education.
“I'm ready to represent the taxpayer,” she said, “and most importantly, the children.”
Fletcher blamed himself for his fourth-place finish as he failed to attend an agreed-upon endorsement interview with The Citizen.
“I have no one to blame but myself,” he said. “The Citizen set me up with an interview and I didn't keep that date. I came in fourth because I hadn't done the interview.”
Ernest Hyde III was pleased he received 300 more votes than last year, he said, and vowed to continue attending board meetings in the hopes of being elected next year.
“I'll be here again,” he said. “I'm not giving up.”
Muhammad expressed his gratitude for every vote cast for him and was pleased that he may have opened doors for others in the future.
“I'm proud that Muslims are involved in the political process,” he said.
Cator's goal was to make the top three in board elections, he said. He acknowledges work still needs to be done. “It's really great I got re-elected,” Cator said, “but we still need to get the budget passed.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
School election recap
Auburn
Budget: Failing (63 absentee ballots remain to be counted)
School board: Soules, Lanford, Cator
Propositions: None
Cato-Meridian
Budget: Passed
School board: Byrne
Propositions: School bus, passed
Jordan-Elbridge
Budget: Failed
School board: Foote, Pieklik, Baner Alley
Propositions: School bus, passed; land purchase, failed; library, passed
Moravia
Budget: Passed
School board: Lyon, Gentilcore
Propositions: School bus, passed; library, passed
Port Byron
Budget: Passed
School board: Vitale, Cusick, Ware
Propositions: School bus, passed; school resource officer, failed; library, passed
Skaneateles
Budget: Passed
School board: Reilley, Stafford
Propositions: School bus, passed
Southern Cayuga
Budget: Failed
School board: Winspear, Lonsky
Propositions: School bus, passed
Union Springs
Budget: Passed
School board: Gavitt, Tabone, Seitz
Propositions: None
Weedsport
Budget: Passed
School board: Brentlinger
Propositions: School bus, passed; library, passed
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