Oysterponds Budget Fails; All Other North Fork School Districts Pass

Oysterponds Elementary School was the only district on the North Fork to fail in passing its 2012-13 budget Tuesday night. Voters spoke out 192 yes to 253 no to vote down the $5,353,894 budget —  a plan to reduce spending by $270,000 this year, but the tax levy increase is estimated at 2.5 percent.

Greenport voters passed the 2012-13 budget on Tuesday, picking up the required supermajority vote needed to pass the tax-cap-piercing budget. The budget passed with 69 percent of the vote.

With the exception of Greenport and New Suffolk, all North Fork school districts have stayed within the state’s new 2 percent tax cap for the 2012-13 school year budget.

As for the only contested race for school board, incumbents Linda Goldsmith and Krista de Kerillis won re-election bids for seats on the board, beating out newcomer Alison Lyne.

Dan Creedon, the only incumbent running on the Board, won a re-election bid on Tuesday. Write-in candidate Babette Cornine received 50 votes and will join Creedon on the board to fill the needed second vacant seat.

Here are the rest of the results as of Tuesday night:

BUDGETS:

$38,004,156 – Yes: 571   No: 395

$27,024,043 – Yes: 534  No: 289

$14,914,713 – Yes: 280 No: 124

Greenport needed to pass its budget by 60 percent because it pierced the 2 percent cap, the district passed its budget by 69 percent. 

$5,353,894 – Yes: 192  No: 253

$678,309 – Yes: 78  No: 29

$9,739,303 – Yes: 247 No: 46

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES:

Three Seats, Three Candidates

Laura Jens-Smith: 665

Douglas Cooper: 673

Sarah Hassildine:656

Two Seats, Two Candidates

Board President Paulette Ofrias: 515

John Crean: 522

Two Seats, One Candidate

Dan Creedon: 305

Write in candidate Babette Cornine received 50 votes and will join Creedon on the board.

Two Seats, Three Candidates

Alison Lyne: 193

Linda Goldsmith: 291 (re-elected)

Krista de Kerillis: 272 (re-elected)

Three Seats, Three Candidates

Stephen Gessner: 212

Mark Kanarvogel: 200

Marilynn Pysher: 228

Because incumbent Mark Kanarvogel received the least amount of votes, he will fill a vacant seat left by Kathleen Reilly last October. Incumbent Stephen Gessner and newcomer Marilyn Pysher will serve three-year terms.

Write-in candidates Jason Cooper and Brooke Dailey tied at 35 votes; Superintendent Bob Feger said he will need to speak to the school district's attorney to see what the best course of action will be to fill the seat.

With reporting by Sandy Martocchia

Stay tuned for more updates and coverage on North Fork Patch.