Don Perkins
loading...

Voters Decide Center Street School to be No More, Pass Budget

The fate of the Center Street School in Oneonta was ultimately decided by a record number of voters.

Nearly 3,000 voters turned out at the Foothills Performing Arts Center yesterday, a record number. While they approved the school budget with an unofficial count of 1924 for and 696 against, the additional proposal to spend about 5 percent more to keep the Center Street School open failed by an unofficial vote of 726 to 1901.

Proposition 2 to purchase new school busses passed, and Jamie Reynolds will return to the school board along with newcomer Susan Kurkowski.

The basic school budget, which included a 1-point-8 percent increase passed, along with a proposition to buy some new school busses.

There were so many voters this year that poll workers ran out of machine ballots and some had to cast their vote by hand ballot. Superintendent Michael Shea says the turnout this year is triple the normal number of voters.

Franklin, Sidney, Walton, Delhi, Norwich Budgets Pass, Colbelskill-Richmond, Unadilla Falls

The Cobleskill-Richmond central schools and Unadilla Valley both saw their budgets that went past the 2 percent cap defeated.  A supermajority of voter approval of 60% is required to waive the tax cap set up this year by Governor Cuomo and the legislature.

In Franklin, the school budget passed by a vote of 200-to-52, with the bus proposition passing 180 to 69.

In Sidney, the school budget was approved, 394 to 116 with the library budget passing 399 to 109.

In Walton, the budget was approved by a vote of 403 to 206, three school board members will serve 3-year terms, James Hoyt, Rhonda Williams and William Beers won the seats.

In Delhi, the school budget passed 410 to 90.

In Chenango County, the Norwich school budget was approved 559 to 163 with the Guernsey library spending plan also approved. The bus and car proposal passed there also.

State Primaries Move Back Date

There may be a change to New York State’s primary elections.

A bill passed yesterday in the senate would move the primaries back two days to September 13th. The unanimous vote calls for moving the date because the election would fall on September 11th. Emergency personnel in New York City asked the primaries be moved because it will be the anniversary of the attacks on the world trade center in 2001.

Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver has sponsored the legislation in his house where the measure is expected to pass.

The last time the primary was moved from September 11th was in 2007.

The main concerns are about attendance since there will be memorial ceremonies going on, and the need for emergency and police personnel to provide security at the polling places on a day when they may be participating in 9-11 memorial activities.

Chobani Loses 18 Tons in Trailer Spill

Broome County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a tractor trailer rollover accident Monday night on I-88 South near Binghamton. Police say a tractor trailer carrying 18 tons of Chobani yogurt was trying to navigate a left turn when it flipped on its side spilling the yogurt on the road’s shoulder and embankment. The driver was ticketed for failure to reduce speed and improper lane use. The driver is from Lincoln, Nebraska. Crews spent much of the day cleaning up.

Republican-Only Primary Set for June 26

The Chenango County BOE has announced a republican-only primary will be held June 26. Any enrolled republican who will not be in the county that day, may request an absentee ballot application by phone or in person at the board of elections in the county office building in Norwich.

The last day to register for the federal primary is Friday June 1st. Voters with questions on their voting status may call the board of elections Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm. The number is 337-1760 or 337-1762.

 

More From Big Cat - Country with Attitude