The Citizen
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
from left, Tom Ryan, Kent Brandstetter, Charlie Cator, Mike Stearns and Susan Scheuerman look at voting results at the Harriet Tubman Administration Building in Auburn on Tuesday night. Candidates, board members and interested people shared handshakes and smiles as the Auburn school budget passed.
from left, Tom Ryan, Kent Brandstetter, Charlie Cator, Mike Stearns and Susan Scheuerman look at voting results at the Harriet Tubman Administration Building in Auburn on Tuesday night. Candidates, board members and interested people shared handshakes and smiles as the Auburn school budget passed.
AUBURN - The Auburn Enlarged City School District got a big stamp of approval from its taxpayers Tuesday as they approved the proposed 2009-10 spending plan by a 2-1 margin.
According to unofficial results, the proposed budget of $66,447,313, which reflects a .84 percent increase from the current year's spending and carries an estimated tax levy increase of 1.3 percent, was approved 1,802-986. The equipment proposition also passed, 1,536-1,024. There are still 117 affidavit ballots outstanding.
This time last year, board of education members, candidates and administrators stood in stunned silence in the main hallway of the Harriet Tubman Administration Building, as they tried to figure out how taxpayers could have rejected the 2008-09 spending plan.
But the sight was starkly different this time around, with back slaps and hand shakes and offers of congratulations to those that had a hand in crafting a budget that taxpayers overwhelmingly endorsed.
“I can't compliment enough the board members, staff and administrators that worked hard this year to come up with a good budget,” board President Charlie Cator said.
Both he and Superintendent J.D. Pabis believe the three community forums on the budget hosted this winter is what made the difference. They listened to the public and what they had to say about educational priorities and taxes, and formed the budget with all of that in mind.
“We took that into consideration this year,” Cator said. “I think that's what helped us out.”
District officials posted updates on a white board as returns from polling places came in.
“This looks good,” board member Mike Stearns said as he looked at the returns from Owasco and Seward Elementary schools. “Much different than last year.”
In addition to the budget, voters chose three familiar faces to sit on the board for another three years. Incumbent and current vice president Sam Giangreco received the most votes of 1,873, incumbent Joe Leogrande received a second nod of 1,682 and Bill Andre - who sat on the board for nine years but did not seek re-election last year due to medical issues - received 1,564.
Merritt Fletcher, who tried for a second time for the board, came in fourth with 1,296 votes, Auburn High School senior Tom Ryan in fifth with 1,131 and Ernie Hyde III with 542 votes.
Ryan said he is pleased with the results even though he didn't win.
“For the first time running and for an 18-year-old to do something like this, getting over 1,000 votes is an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “It means so much and for people to come out and take me seriously is great. I'm really happy.”
Fletcher has no regrets about his campaign. He believes that last year he didn't put enough effort into the race, and so he decided to try again.
“This time I know I'm done,” he said. “I did everything I could do. I got two good endorsements and it wasn't enough.”
The same couldn't be said for Hyde, who believes an editorial that ran in The Citizen Sunday turned people away from his line on the ballot.
“I'm not happy at all,” he said, who indicated that he may try again next year. “What they said, it wasn't true and it probably turned people away.”
Leogrande said he was happy and thankful for the taxpayers' vote of confidence in his work with the board over the last three years.
Andre was out of town on Tuesday.
Giangreco also shared a similar attitude and expressed gratitude to the voters for returning him back to the board.
“I'm looking forward to working with the board in the future,” he said. “I know we can make this school district better than it is today. There's no question. I'm very proud to serve the Auburn school district and our children, especially.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
Election results glance
Auburn
Budget: Passed
School board: Giangreco, Leogrande, Andre
Propositions: Vehicle purchases, passed
Cato-Meridian
Budget: Passed
School board: Ford, Kacur, Lees
Propositions: School buses, passed
Jordan-Elbridge
Budget: Passed
School board: Feeney, Drake, O'Brien
Propositions: Library/Elbridge, passed; Library/Jordan, passed
Moravia
Budget: Passed
School board: Wells, Benson
Propositions: Library, passed; School buses, passed
Port Byron
Budget: Passed
School board: Hare, Quanbeck, Verdi
Propositions: School buses, passed; Library, passed
Skaneateles
Budget: Passed
School board: Card, Cogswell, Dreyfuss
Propositions: School bus/camera system, passed
Southern Cayuga
Budget: Passed
School board: Killian, Kopp
Propositions: Library, passed; School buses, passed; Reserve fund passed
Union Springs
Budget: Passed
School board: Quill, Greer, Weaver
Propositions: Library, passed
Weedsport
Budget: Passed
School board: Lally
Propositions: School bus, passed; Library, passed
School voting results
district-by-district breakdown
Below are results that were reported from Tuesday's school district elections in the nine districts that make up the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES:
Auburn Enlarged City School District
Budget (+0.84%) Passed 1,802-986
Vehicle purchases: Passed
1,536-1,024
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms):
Sam Giangreco 1,873
Joseph M. Leogrande 1,682
William Andre 1,564
Merritt Fletcher 1,296
Tom Ryan 1,131
Ernest E. Hyde III 542
Cato-Meridian Central School District
Budget (+ 2.31 percent)
Passed 243-147
Bus purchases: Passed 231-136
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms):
Michael Lees 303
Scott L. Ford 282
Todd Kacur 255
Jordan-Elbridge Central School District
Budget (+ 1.77 percent) Passed 522-286
Bus purchases: Passed 541-282
Reserve fund: Passed 490-320
Library funding, Elbridge: Passed 524-282
Library funding, Jordan: Passed 511-293
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms)
Penny L. Feeney 548
Connie Drake 545
Erica O'Brien 509
S. Keith Chilson 375
Moravia Central School
District
Budget (+8.9%) Passed 385-238
Library funding: Passed 393-22
Bus purchases: Passed 384-212
School board candidates
(two seats, three-year terms):
Laura J. Wells 441
Catherine Benson 435
Terry Lamphier 262
Port Byron Central School
District
Budget (+1.59%) Passed 279-158
Bus purchases: Passed 256-176
Library funding: Passed 260-171
School board candidates (three seats, two three-year terms, one one-year term):
Maralee Hare 301
Melinda M. Quanbeck 328
Joseph Verdi 325
Skaneateles Central School
District
Budget (+ 4.7 percent) Passed 710-521
Bus/camera system purchases: Passed 697-489
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms)
Michael Card 982
Kate Cogswell 964
Evan Dreyfuss 905
Southern Cayuga Central School District
Budget (+0.87%) Passed 509-242
Bus purchases: Passed 467-262
Library funding: Passed 525-205
Reserve fund: Passed 488-232
School board candidate
(two seats, three-year terms)
Bruce R. Kopp 559
Lisa Killian 537
Union Springs Central School District
Budget (+1.39 percent)
Passed 349-110
Library funding: Passed 351-74
School board candidates
(three seats; three-year terms)
Carol Quill 378
John E. Greer 356
Thomas M. Weaver Sr. 357
Weedsport Central School
District
Budget (+3.5 percent) Passed 496-296
Bus purchase: Passed 517-275
Library funding: Passed 510-279
School board candidates
(one seat, five-year terms)
Tim Lally 419
Mark R. Mietz 367
According to unofficial results, the proposed budget of $66,447,313, which reflects a .84 percent increase from the current year's spending and carries an estimated tax levy increase of 1.3 percent, was approved 1,802-986. The equipment proposition also passed, 1,536-1,024. There are still 117 affidavit ballots outstanding.
This time last year, board of education members, candidates and administrators stood in stunned silence in the main hallway of the Harriet Tubman Administration Building, as they tried to figure out how taxpayers could have rejected the 2008-09 spending plan.
But the sight was starkly different this time around, with back slaps and hand shakes and offers of congratulations to those that had a hand in crafting a budget that taxpayers overwhelmingly endorsed.
“I can't compliment enough the board members, staff and administrators that worked hard this year to come up with a good budget,” board President Charlie Cator said.
Both he and Superintendent J.D. Pabis believe the three community forums on the budget hosted this winter is what made the difference. They listened to the public and what they had to say about educational priorities and taxes, and formed the budget with all of that in mind.
“We took that into consideration this year,” Cator said. “I think that's what helped us out.”
District officials posted updates on a white board as returns from polling places came in.
“This looks good,” board member Mike Stearns said as he looked at the returns from Owasco and Seward Elementary schools. “Much different than last year.”
In addition to the budget, voters chose three familiar faces to sit on the board for another three years. Incumbent and current vice president Sam Giangreco received the most votes of 1,873, incumbent Joe Leogrande received a second nod of 1,682 and Bill Andre - who sat on the board for nine years but did not seek re-election last year due to medical issues - received 1,564.
Merritt Fletcher, who tried for a second time for the board, came in fourth with 1,296 votes, Auburn High School senior Tom Ryan in fifth with 1,131 and Ernie Hyde III with 542 votes.
Ryan said he is pleased with the results even though he didn't win.
“For the first time running and for an 18-year-old to do something like this, getting over 1,000 votes is an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “It means so much and for people to come out and take me seriously is great. I'm really happy.”
Fletcher has no regrets about his campaign. He believes that last year he didn't put enough effort into the race, and so he decided to try again.
“This time I know I'm done,” he said. “I did everything I could do. I got two good endorsements and it wasn't enough.”
The same couldn't be said for Hyde, who believes an editorial that ran in The Citizen Sunday turned people away from his line on the ballot.
“I'm not happy at all,” he said, who indicated that he may try again next year. “What they said, it wasn't true and it probably turned people away.”
Leogrande said he was happy and thankful for the taxpayers' vote of confidence in his work with the board over the last three years.
Andre was out of town on Tuesday.
Giangreco also shared a similar attitude and expressed gratitude to the voters for returning him back to the board.
“I'm looking forward to working with the board in the future,” he said. “I know we can make this school district better than it is today. There's no question. I'm very proud to serve the Auburn school district and our children, especially.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
Election results glance
Auburn
Budget: Passed
School board: Giangreco, Leogrande, Andre
Propositions: Vehicle purchases, passed
Cato-Meridian
Budget: Passed
School board: Ford, Kacur, Lees
Propositions: School buses, passed
Jordan-Elbridge
Budget: Passed
School board: Feeney, Drake, O'Brien
Propositions: Library/Elbridge, passed; Library/Jordan, passed
Moravia
Budget: Passed
School board: Wells, Benson
Propositions: Library, passed; School buses, passed
Port Byron
Budget: Passed
School board: Hare, Quanbeck, Verdi
Propositions: School buses, passed; Library, passed
Skaneateles
Budget: Passed
School board: Card, Cogswell, Dreyfuss
Propositions: School bus/camera system, passed
Southern Cayuga
Budget: Passed
School board: Killian, Kopp
Propositions: Library, passed; School buses, passed; Reserve fund passed
Union Springs
Budget: Passed
School board: Quill, Greer, Weaver
Propositions: Library, passed
Weedsport
Budget: Passed
School board: Lally
Propositions: School bus, passed; Library, passed
School voting results
district-by-district breakdown
Below are results that were reported from Tuesday's school district elections in the nine districts that make up the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES:
Auburn Enlarged City School District
Budget (+0.84%) Passed 1,802-986
Vehicle purchases: Passed
1,536-1,024
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms):
Sam Giangreco 1,873
Joseph M. Leogrande 1,682
William Andre 1,564
Merritt Fletcher 1,296
Tom Ryan 1,131
Ernest E. Hyde III 542
Cato-Meridian Central School District
Budget (+ 2.31 percent)
Passed 243-147
Bus purchases: Passed 231-136
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms):
Michael Lees 303
Scott L. Ford 282
Todd Kacur 255
Jordan-Elbridge Central School District
Budget (+ 1.77 percent) Passed 522-286
Bus purchases: Passed 541-282
Reserve fund: Passed 490-320
Library funding, Elbridge: Passed 524-282
Library funding, Jordan: Passed 511-293
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms)
Penny L. Feeney 548
Connie Drake 545
Erica O'Brien 509
S. Keith Chilson 375
Moravia Central School
District
Budget (+8.9%) Passed 385-238
Library funding: Passed 393-22
Bus purchases: Passed 384-212
School board candidates
(two seats, three-year terms):
Laura J. Wells 441
Catherine Benson 435
Terry Lamphier 262
Port Byron Central School
District
Budget (+1.59%) Passed 279-158
Bus purchases: Passed 256-176
Library funding: Passed 260-171
School board candidates (three seats, two three-year terms, one one-year term):
Maralee Hare 301
Melinda M. Quanbeck 328
Joseph Verdi 325
Skaneateles Central School
District
Budget (+ 4.7 percent) Passed 710-521
Bus/camera system purchases: Passed 697-489
School board candidates
(three seats, three-year terms)
Michael Card 982
Kate Cogswell 964
Evan Dreyfuss 905
Southern Cayuga Central School District
Budget (+0.87%) Passed 509-242
Bus purchases: Passed 467-262
Library funding: Passed 525-205
Reserve fund: Passed 488-232
School board candidate
(two seats, three-year terms)
Bruce R. Kopp 559
Lisa Killian 537
Union Springs Central School District
Budget (+1.39 percent)
Passed 349-110
Library funding: Passed 351-74
School board candidates
(three seats; three-year terms)
Carol Quill 378
John E. Greer 356
Thomas M. Weaver Sr. 357
Weedsport Central School
District
Budget (+3.5 percent) Passed 496-296
Bus purchase: Passed 517-275
Library funding: Passed 510-279
School board candidates
(one seat, five-year terms)
Tim Lally 419
Mark R. Mietz 367
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