Area residents took to the polls on Tuesday May 17 to vote on the Cazenovia Central School District budget, board of education elections as well as the budgets for the New Woodstock and Cazenovia Public Libraries. Held in the high school auditorium, voting was available from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.
An estimated 1,100 voters showed up at the polls today, more than the district has seen in recent years. Once the polls were closed, the votes were counted and Assistant Superintendent Bob Furlong delivered the official results to those present.
The 2011-12 budget was passed, with 803 voting for and 288 voting against. The three new members to the Cazenovia Board of Education are Leigh Baldwin, who received 794 votes; Jan Held Woodworth, who received 785 votes and Cindy Bell Tobey, who received 714 votes. The fourth candidate, Jerry Romagnoli, did not win a seat but was close behind with a total of 617 votes. Proposition #2 for library support was also passed, with 808 voting for, and 276 voting against. There was no proposition in the budget to purchase new buses this year.
“We really appreciate the community support,” said Superintendent Bob Dubik. “The board had worked hard on crafting a budget that maintains the high academic standards that we’ve come accustomed to.”
The budget for the 2011-12 school year totals to $25,861,655. The amount is an increase of .7 percent from 2010-11, a total of $179, 794. In the midst of government cutbacks, Cazenovia’s state aid will be reduced by 1,032,340 next year. The deficit was partially offset by contract negotiations with the teacher’s union and seven staffing reductions.
The union, Cazenovia United Educators, agreed to a salary freeze and to pay more towards their health care. While the negotiations account for a large amount of the missing funds, the tax levy will be increased 2.9 percent, or $445,930. The reduction of seven positions will be achieved through retirements and no academic programs will be cut.
Four candidates were on the ballot, running to fill three vacancies on the Cazenovia Board of Education. Leigh Baldwin, Jan Held Woodworth and Cindy Bell Tobey were elected to the board. Baldwin and Woodworth received the highest vote count and will serve three year terms. Tobey, a prior member, will look for re-election after one year, as she will be filling the seat made available after the departure of former board member Ed Roickle.
Propostion #2 providing support to two area public libraries was approved. Under the stipulations, the Cazenovia Public Library will receive a levy of the Liberty tax for a total increase of 3.6 percent, or $357,690. The levy for the New Woodstock Free Library will receive a 7 percent increase, totaling $148,887. The board has no authority over either library’s budget, NYS law required the proposition to be placed on the ballot.
