In a year with a contentious board of education race, voters in the Fayetteville-Manlius school district have chosen to elect from six total candidates incumbent Marissa Joy Mims, incumbent Lisa Izant and John Cucinotta to the F-M Board of Education for three-year terms. The school budget of $78.9 million was also approved with 1,720 votes yes and 565 votes no,
Izant took 1,375 votes, Cucinotta took 1,366 votes and Mims took 1,359 votes at the May 19 election.
The remaining three candidates results were 819 votes to Patty Palladino, 788 voted to Barbara Huntress Tresness and 615 votes to incumbent Rebecca Shiroff.
“We are thrilled by the support of our community and it’s an honor that they appreciate the work that we’ve done for the past six years and we want to continue,” Izant said after the results were announced. “I appreciate the other three candidates and their interest in running … I think that’s a good sign we have community members who are interested in running.”
Mims and Izant, current president and vice-president, respectively, have been on the board for six years now. Cucinotta was previously on the F-M school board for a total of 30 years.
“This work is everything — to be working for our children and teachers and community. To be allowed to do that again is an honor,” said Mims. “We have a new superintendent and we have a number of issues in the district that we need to focus on so I’m relieved that this process is finished. Tomorrow I want to work toward welcoming our new superintendent and get back to work.”
Voters also chose to approve the $78.9 million 2015-16 budget, with 1,720 votes yes and 565 votes no. This budget includes a 1.89 percent tax levy increase.
“I’d like to thank the voters of Fayetteville-Manlius for taking the time out of their busy days to exercise their right to vote,” said Superintendent Corliss Kaiser in a statement after the election. “This budget provides the resources and support for our students, faculty and staff to continue fulfilling our district mission of providing all students with an excellent education.”
The budget includes no major cuts to existing programs and services, increases spending on classroom supplies and equipment for the first time in eight years and is below the district’s tax levy limit.
Results from the election also showed:
— Approval for the $2.6 million roof repair project to Fayetteville Elementary with 1,912 votes yes and 356 votes no.
— Approval for the purchase of four new school buses and two Chevrolet Suburbans at a cost not to exceed $553,318 with 1,604 votes yes and 770 votes no.
— Approval of the Fayetteville Free Library’s budget of $1.7 million with 1,479 votes yes and 770 no.
— Approval of the Manlius Library’s $1.2 million budget was passed with 1,532 votes yes and 727 no.
Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].
