Budget and Capital Propositions Pass; Black, Brown and Rogan Win
Voters in the Huntington School District overwhelmingly approved the proposed school budget for 2009/10 along with a capital proposition and re-elected trustees Elizabeth Black, Kim Brown and Emily Rogan. More than 2,500 residents cast ballots during 15 hours of voting at the high school on Tuesday.
The $104,814,259 spending plan was resoundingly approved, 1,755 – 756. It carries an estimated tax rate increase of 2.89 percent. The average home in the district assessed at $4,000 is projected to see a tax increase of $220 before STAR program savings are factored in.
In the race for School Board seats, residents re-elected Mrs. Rogan (1,470), Mrs. Brown (1,461) and Mrs. Black (1,285) to terms commencing July 1 and running through June 30, 2012. Challengers Bari Fehrs (1,181) and Judith Thompson (777) trailed in the voting.
Residents voted 1,799 – 640 to release $368,000 from the district’s Building Improvement Fund for projects that include: Installation of new exterior cafeteria doors at Jefferson Primary School where none currently exist and accessibility improvements in the school’s bathrooms related to the Americans with Disabilities Act ($235,000), installation of new exterior cafeteria doors where none currently exist at Flower Hill, Washington and Southdown primary schools ($87,000) and installation of special auditorium area safety smoke doors at Huntington High School, which will help create a distinct smoke free zone ($46,000). The projects were requested by the State Education Department as safety measures.
“We are grateful that residents approved the budget and the capital proposition,” Huntington Superintendent John J. Finello said. “We are committed to maintaining strict control of our expenses and being responsible financial stewards.”
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