School budget, both propositions pass by solid margins

by Dan McClelland

In sharp contrast to the annual budget vote count last year, this year’s $21.98 million school budget for the 2025-26 school year sailed through with much fewer numbers at the annual meeting Tuesday.

In what was more like typical voting numbers at annual district meetings, the budget passed 365 to 143- when just over 500 district voters cast their ballot at the high school library. Total vote counts varied a little between the four items on the ballot.

The voter turn-out was almost record numbers for the controversial budget vote last year when over 1,100 residents came out and 622 “yes” votes were cast, compared with the 506 dissenters.

Last year, although the budget size was just about the same (one-third of a percent less in spending), last year’s 8.75% tax hike was nearly three times this year’s 3.08% tax levy increase offered to voters.

A proposition this year to buy a 30-passenger, gas-fueled bus passed 343 to 162. Typically, as part of its ongoing bus replacement program, the district has purchased full-sized 60 plus passenger, diesel-powered buses.

District officials this year selected a smaller bus “to increase our efficiencies for runs with less students” on them,” according to the budget brochure.

Last year a proposition on the ballot to buy two full-sized buses was defeated by three votes. The proposition vote went down in a squeaker: 562 “yes” votes to 565 against.

Something new on the district ballot this year was the creation of a new capital reserve fund. The “savings account” would be used to meet unexpected costs in the future and/or provide funding that could be seed money for future capital improvement plans.

Dr. Rick Timbs, the district’s new financial advisor this year, strongly recommended the board of education create any number of special reserve funds as part of the district’s long-term planning process.

The “transparent” aspect of reserve funds is that any funds set aside in them cannot be tapped without voter approval.

That proposition garnered the most public support here in 385 to 125 voting. It attracted the most votes at 510 on Tuesday.

The newest member of the school board- Josh Tremblay- received 450 votes in his unopposed run for a full three-year term on the board.

Mr. Tremblay, who is the school library director and holds other posts at the Long Lake Central School District, was named by the board this past year to replace Korey Kenniston, who resigned last year.

The district’s new superintendent of schools, Jaycee Welsh, was very pleased with the outcome of the votes at the annual meeting.

“I think we all worked hard to turn around the message to the community with some transparency and to make sure everyone here understands what is going on with the school district finances.”

Mrs. Welsh conducted a number of public information sessions about the new budget and the two propositions on the ballot Tuesday- the most recent of which was a succinct overview of the ballot questions at the village board meeting on the eve of the district vote. At each of the half dozen or so presentations to local organizations she was accompanied by at least one board member.

“I was very pleased that the budget and the two propositions didn’t just pass and that they passed” by a substantial margin,” she said, thanking the many here who made that happen.