Albion, Medina budgets both pass with big support

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2014 at 12:00 am

Voters in Albion and Medina school districts gave overwhelmingly support to the school budgets in voting that ended at 8 p.m. today.

Albion’s $33,551,051 budget passed with 346 yes votes and 76 against it. Medina’s $34,479,994 budget passed, 532 to 96.

Polls are open in Holley, Kendall and Lyndonville districts until 9 p.m.

Albion elected a new member to the Board of Education with Wendy Kirby replacing Kevin Doherty on the nine-member body.

Voters picked incumbent David Sidari, 355 votes, and Kirby, 324, for five-year terms. Marie Snyder was elected to finish a one-year term. She received 281 votes. Doherty, a 10-year veteran on the board, received 201 votes.

“They’re all good people,” Doherty said about the elected BOE members. “The continuity of the board will continue.”

The district’s budget increased spending by 0.61 percent, but there was a small tax decrease of 0.1 percent or $7,007 to $8,439,939.

The budget passed with 82 percent support. Residents also approved a bus proposition (357 to 66) to spend up to $440,000. Residents by a 296 to 126 vote also approved $667,070 for Hoag Library.

The district has only raised taxes once in the past eight years while maintaining its academic and extracurricular programs.

“That’s pretty incredible,” said Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent. “Folks support their school and they see an efficient fiscal program.”

In Medina, 84.7 percent of the 628 voters backed the budget, which increases spending by 2 percent but doesn’t increase taxes.

Residents, 528 to 100, also approved a proposition to spend $200,000 for one 66-seat bus and two 30-seat passenger buses.

Five candidates were running for four seats on the BOE. The three incumbents all received three-year terms with David Sevenski receiving 486 votes, followed by Christopher Keller at 421 and William Keppler at 419.

Renee Paser-Paull was elected to a one-year term with 418 votes. Former BOE member Virginia Nicholson wasn’t elected. She received 344 votes.