EASTERN CNY SCHOOL DISTRICTS – On Tuesday, May 17 area residents went to the polls to cast their votes on local school district budgets as well as the elections for the districts’ respective boards of education.

Voters were also asked to weigh in on other propositions for bus purchases and library budgets.

The following is a rundown of results.

Fayetteville-Manlius

In the Fayetteville-Manlius district voters approved the $98.9 million budget and elected three board members.

The budget proposition passed with 2,243 yes votes and 1,112 no votes. The results do not include 164 absentee ballots; however, those will not change the outcome of the budget vote, propositions or board election.

Spurred by an active race for school board and issues like covid protocols, student mental health funding and the district’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, voters flocked to the polls at nearly triple the rate of last year’s election.

The three candidates elected to the school board, Sarah Fitzgerald (2,252 votes), Daryll Fitch Wheeler (2,135 votes) and Cynthia Hefti (2,088 votes) were all endorsed by the Fayetteville-Manlius Teachers Association. The other candidates were Elena Romano (992 votes), Joseph Dunaway (894 votes), Forrest D. Heaney (815 votes) and Christopher McKee (549 votes). Terms for Fitzgerald, Wheeler and Hefti last for three years and begin July 1.

The budget for the 2022-2023 school year increases spending 5.9% ($5,513,293) and carries a 1.8% tax levy increase as well as an estimated tax rate decrease of 11.25% for town of Manlius residents. Voters also approved the purchasing of six new school buses at a total cost of $886,070 with 2,164 yes votes and 1,178 no votes. More information about the budget is available at fmschools.org/budget-finance.

Maintaining the student board member position was also approved with 2,824 yes votes and 533 no votes.

In the board of education election, seven candidates sought election to three open school board seats.

The Fayetteville Free Library’s $1,959,331 budget proposition passed by a margin of 2,183 to 1,155 and the Manlius Library’s $1,399,741 passed 2,381 to 963.

East Syracuse Minoa

There were 653 total votes cast for ESM’s $92.3 million budget, with 495 cast in favor and 156 voting no. This equals a 76% pass rate.

The budget takes into account an $100,000 capital project to install new flooring in the ESM Central High School’s classrooms and hallways.

Voters also supported the district’s bus purchase proposition with 516 yes votes and 136 no votes.  The proposition called for the spending of $860,843 to purchase one Suburban, one used mini bus, and six buses that would each carry 66 passengers.

For the Minoa Public Library, voters supported their proposition for $239,700 in funding with 537 yes votes and 114 no votes. That budgetary allocation reflects a $4,700 increase from last year.

ESM is also under the state’s property tax cap according to the district’s budget overview, which can be found on esmschools.org.

Voters elected three incumbent candidates to four-year terms with the following results: Leah Cushing received 553 votes, Tracy Callahan received 550 votes and Deborah Kolod received 528 votes.

Jamesville-DeWitt

Voters approved J-D’s $63.7 million budget and elected three board members.

For the 2022-2023 budget, which increases spending 5.91% ($3,554,338) and carries a tax levy increase of 2.59%, there were 644 yes votes and 225 no votes.

For the purchase of five new school buses at a total cost of $499,952 there were 649 yes votes and 219 
no votes.

On purchasing a front-end loader maintenance vehicle at a total cost of $200,000 there were 585 yes votes and 283 no votes.

For the board of education, four candidates sought election to three open seats.

Sharon Archer received 589 votes, Lorianne DeForest received 579 votes, Renee James Murad received 519 votes and Stanley Chen received 413 votes.

The district also took in 19 write-in votes for candidates, but there were not enough for any one candidate to change the outcome of the election results.

In a joint statement issued by top vote-getters Archer, DeForest and Murad, the three said they would like to thank the Jamesville-DeWitt community for its “sincerely appreciated” support in re-electing them.

“We are all very excited to be able to continue the work of the district strategic plan focusing on a Culture of Wellness; Curriculum and Programs; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Community and Family Engagement,” the message stated. “We will continue to advocate for all stakeholders and will support and promote the success of all students.”

For the library proposition, votes were cast supporting the Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville’s $1,544,958 with 634 yes votes and 233 no votes.