Sag Harbor School Budget Vote Passes Handily

SAG HARBOR, NY — After all the absentee ballots were counted, residents have spoken and given the green light to the Sag Harbor School District's 2020-2021 budget.

As per the clerk of the election, Sag Harbor School District Clerk Victoria Handy, the school vote passed handily by a margin of 1,325 to 645.

Voters also gave support to a proposition authorizing the district to spend $56,068 from its existing Fleet Capital Reserve to purchase a school bus in order to replace an existing 10- year old school bus "at the end of its useful life." That proposition passed with a vote of 1,335 to 621.

Five candidates ran for three open seats on the Board of Education, including incumbents Brian DeSesa and Alex Kriegsman, who will retain their posts with 1,155 and 1,127 votes, respectively.

Sandi Kruel won the third BOE trustee seat with 1,151 votes.

Ronald Reed received 891 votes and Helen Roussel garnered 810.

"I would like to thank the Sag Harbor community for their continued support of the school district and its students," said new Superintendent Jeff Nichols, who was appointed in May.

According to the district, the budget of $ 44,332,423 reflects a budget-to-budget increase of 3.37 percent and a tax levy increase of 2.71 percent, under the New York State tax cap levy limit.