Yes to School Budgets in Six Districts – East Hampton Star

Two people signed in to vote at the Amagansett School on Tuesday afternoon. David E. Rattray

School budget votes and board elections results have begun rolling in, with voters approving budgets in East Hampton, Amagansett, Montauk, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, and Wainscott, whose polls all closed 8 p.m.

Polls in Springs and Sag Harbor closed at 9 p.m.

East Hampton

The East Hampton School District's $68.3 million budget proposal, a slight increase over last year but still under the state's cap on tax levy increases, was approved by a vote of 291 to 53.

Voters also approved, in a vote of 241 to 96, a proposition allowing East Hampton to establish a capital reserve fund for future districtwide improvements related to growing enrollment, property acquisition, and the replacement of technology and telecommunications equipment, infrastructure, and software. Spending for specific projects will be subject to voter approval.

Jacqueline Lowey and John J. Ryan Sr., who were running uncontested to keep their seats on the school board, got 278 and 302 votes, respectively.

Amagansett

In Amagansett, where interest in the budget and the school board race intensified in the last week, voters approved the nearly $10.7 million budget for the 2017-18 school year. The budget was approved, 146 to 59.

With three board seats available and only three candidates on the ballot, the race for school board was business as usual until last week, when two more candidates announced that they would mount write-in races.

Patrick Bistrian III and Dawn Rana-Brophy were running to keep their seats, and Anna Bernasek was seeking a seat for the first time. Mary A. Eames and Claudia L. Quintana announced after a school board meeting last week that they, too, would like to take seats at the table.

Mr. Bistrianand Ms. Quintana were the top two vote getters, with 122 and 115 votes, respectively. Each will get three-year terms on the board. The next highest vote getter, Ms. Rana-Brophy, got 111 votes and will serve for a one-year term.

Voters also approved a proposition authorizing the expenditure of $400,000 from the 2015 renovations and upgrades capital reserve fund for a new gym ceiling. The vote was 179 to 25.

Montauk

There were no surprises in Montauk, where the $18.8 million budget for next year was approved by a vote of 115 to 8, and Kelly White, an incumbent running for her third five-year term, won it with 112 votes.

The budget is down more than $155,000 from this year's.

Bridgehampton

Bridgehampton's $14.36 million budget sailed through with 102 voting for it and 74 voting no. The budget is up $578,024 over this year.

On the Bridgehampton School Board, Kathleen McCleland, an incumbent, was returned to the board with 136 votes, and Markanthony Verzosa, a newcomer, received 116 votes to take the other seat. The races were not contested.

Also approved Tuesday was a proposition allowing the district to redistribute the balance of a previously approved capital reserve fund to install and maintain a geothermal heating and cooling system as part of a planned school addition. Taxpayers will not incur any additional costs as a result. The vote was 84 to 41.

Sagaponack

Sagaponack voters unanimously passed the school's $1.7 million budget proposal, with 19 votes for and none against.

Sagaponack voters also approved a one-year contract with East Hampton and Sag Harbor School Districts for instruction services for fourth through sixth grades. The district already has a five-year contract with both of these districts for 7th through 12th grades.

Brian Villante, the school board president, was re-elected with 19 votes. There were no challengers.

Wainscott

The Wainscott School District's $2.95 million budget for the 2017-18 school year was approved with 31 votes in favor and none against. It is lower than this year's budget.

David Eagan, the incumbent school board president, who ran unopposed, was re-elected with 29 votes. One vote was cast for someone else, and one ballot was left blank.

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Yes to School Budgets in Six Districts - East Hampton Star