Residents of the Schodack Central School District voted to approve a $26,891,553 budget for the 2022-2023 school year by a vote of 410 (yes) to 131 (no).
This budget represents a $732,460 spending increase from the 2021-2022 school year. The estimated tax levy increase for the 2022-2023 Budget is 2.24%, which meets the allowable tax levy limit set by New York State.
Residents also approved a proposed capital improvement project budgeted at $8,764,559 by a vote of 413 (yes) to 122 (no). The project will address necessary maintenance, renovations and improvements at district facilities. Due to retiring debt, the district has a unique but time-sensitive funding opportunity to pay for this proposed project that is expected to have no additional impact on the taxpayer.
Residents also approved the purchase of two additional school buses for the district by a vote of 435 (yes) to 107 (no).
Residents elected Sherri Gibson, Angela Beber, Daniel Grandinetti, Shelley Palmer and Ashley Palmer to five seats on the Board of Education. Three of these seats were due to board member term expirations and two were vacant seats due to member resignations. Sherri Gibson, Angela Beber and Daniel Grandinetti were the candidates with the highest number of votes, respectively, and all were elected to a full a 3-year term (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2025). Shelley Palmer and Ashley Palmer were the candidates with the fourth and fifth highest number of votes, respectively, and were elected to fill the two vacant seats on the board. Each will serve an approximately 1-year term (May 18, 2022-June 30, 2023), which is the time remaining in the terms of the vacated seats. Vote counts and candidate names are below in the order they appeared on the ballot:
Angela Beber: 374
Daniel Grandinetti: 370
Shelley Palmer: 369
Sherri Gibson:382
Ashley Palmer: 336
The district thanks all the residents who participated in this year’s budget vote and board election.