Ryan, Graboski Unseat Incumbents in East Hampton, Amagansett School Board Races
While the budgets and propositions on the ballots for the 2015-16 school year easily passed in the school districts where polls closed at 8 p.m., there were some upsets in school board races.
In East Hampton, John Ryan Sr., a former school board member who ran against three incumbents, won a two-year term on the board after receiving 311 votes. Two of the incumbents, Christina DeSanti and Liz Pucci, received more votes, with Ms. DeSanti taking in 395 and Liz Pucci, 370. Deme Minskoff, who was appointed to replace Patricia Hope after she resigned and ran for the first time to keep the seat, received 286 votes. Mr. Ryan will finish the rest of Ms. Hope's term, and he was sworn-in immediately on Tuesday evening.
In East Hampton, where the district had proposed a $66.1 million budget that included more funding for arts, athletics, and science and technology, the result was a 440-to-73 vote in favor of the budget.
While voters in Amagansett approved all propositions by a wide margin, there was an upset when it came to the school board race. Mary Lownes, who has served on the school board for 13 years, lost to Steve Graboski. In a 102-to-75 vote, Mr. Graboski, a 34-year resident of Amagansett and a retired East Hampton Town police officer, won a three-year term.
Ms. Lownes, who was in the school gymnasium awaiting the results, left immediately upon hearing the tally. Eleanor Tritt, the district's superintendent, declined to comment on the board race.
Voters in Amagansett approved a $10.6 million budget 145 to 33. That budget actually will carry a small decrease in the tax levy while preserving educational programs. Voters also authorized a proposition to create a capital reserve fund for renovations and upgrades, in a 148-to-24 vote, and supported the five-year tuition contract with the East Hampton School District with a 158-to-17 vote. The library budget of about $938,900 was also approved, 156 to 24.
In Montauk, voters came out strongly in favor of a proposed 2015-16 budget of just under $19 million with a 295-to-54 vote. The budget will restore a full summer school program and a number of before- and after-school programs that were cut several years ago when the state-mandated limit on tax levy increases was initiated.
Montauk voters also supported Diane Hausman, the current school board president, who received 218 votes to Carmine Marino Jr.’s 137 votes. A five-year tuition contract with the East Hampton School District was also overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 317 to 28.
Bridgehampton voters approved the district’s proposed $12.8 million budget, with 124 votes for it and 31 votes against it. The school’s 2015-16 spending plan called for a 3.51-percent tax levy increase, although the tax rate is expected to stay flat due to rising assessments in property values. Three school board members were elected after running unopposed to retain their seats. Lillian Tyree-Johnson received 134 votes, Ronald White received 133, and Doug DeGroot took in 130.
In Wainscott, where results came in about 15 minutes after the polls closed, all 40 of the voters approved the district’s budget of just over $3 million. This is Wainscott’s fourth straight budget that includes a decrease in spending, and the third straight budget that includes a decrease in the tax levy. Kelly Anderson, the only candidate running for one seat on the school board, was re-elected with 39 votes.
RELATED: Voters Reject Springs Parking Plan; Sag Harbor Passes Budget
With Reporting by Christopher Walsh and Taylor K. Vecsey