The Smithtown Central School District Board and Budget results for the 2017-18 School year are in! The people of Smithtown voted to approve the budget by a vote of 2421 to 693. In addition to the budget passing, the Smithtown Smithtown Board of Education will have a new member. Half Hollow Hills teacher Matthew Gribbin, defeated Grace Plourde by 680 votes. The incumbents Gladys Waldron and Joanne McEnroy ran uncontested and were elected to two of the three open seats.
BUDGET PASSES:
The Smithtown Central School District Budget Comes in under the tax cap at $239,367,205, approximately 1.4% increase from the previous school year.
YES: 2421
NO: 693
Smithtown Central School District Board of Education Results:
- 4 candidates running for 3 seats
- 3 YEAR TERM: 7/1/17-6/30/20
- Gladys Waldron (Incumbent) 2095 (ELECTED)
- Grace Plourde (Incumbent) 1155
- Joanne McEnroy (Incumbent) 2090 (ELECTED)
- Matthew Gribbin 1835 (ELECTED)
Smithtown resident Pam Farino expressed concerns regarding the budget increasing every school year, despite the upsetting decline of student enrollment. In addition, Farino cited fears that another teacher on the board would upset the balance, which would be bad for Seniors and Veterans.
Late in April, Gribbin posted a letter to the people of Smithtown, which declared his quest to put an end to standardized testing and to bring more local control and focus of education within the district. Gribbin includes his efforts to “work with a great group of neighbors to have Southern Land Company, LLC back out of their bid to overdevelop the New York Avenue School property.” The project, while controversial, would have helped taxpayers and the school district both financially and with the exodus of students.
The Smithtown Central School District is overseen by a seven-member board elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis every year in May. Board members are elected at large, but each seat on the board is considered distinct and elected separately.
Northport-East Northport Board of Education Results:
- Donna McNaughton: 1,750
- Thomas Loughran: 769
The Northport-East Northport’s budget also passed by a voting margin of 2,074 to 636. Donna McNaughton was reelected to the Board of Education, beating her challenger by 981 votes.
Proposition 2, also passed by a margin of 2,197 to 512. The amendment with focuses on facility improvements, allows the School district to use capital reserves for much needed maintenance. The projects include resurfacing/replacing two tennis courts and replacing the fence at William J. Brosnan School, installation of new operable gymnasium windows at East Northport Middle School, replacement of circuit panels at Northport High School, replacing auditorium seating at William J. Brosnan School and replacing classroom ceilings at Dickinson Avenue Elementary School.