Southampton School Budget Vote Tuesday: What You Need To Know

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Southampton residents will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the 2021 to 2022 school budget vote and school board candidate election.

The district's proposed $73,999,900 budget reflects an increase of 1.57 percent.

The public will also vote to elect three members to the Board of Education; two members will serve a four-year term and one will serve the two-year balance of Charles Styler's term after his death; Sunhe Sherwood-Dudley, Cara Conklin-Wingfield and Jacqueline Robinson are running for those seats.

Voters will also weigh in on propositions: The first would authorize the BOE to spend a total of not to exceed $3,497,500 from a combination of the 2007 10- year capital reserve fund and the 2017 10-year capital reserve fund, with the district first utilizing the remaining balance of $1,219,519.99, plus interest, from the 2007 fund, for alterations, repairs and reconstruction of school facilities as follows, including a plan at Southampton Elementary School to install HVAC equipment and make related renovations in order to provide climate control to the first and second floor classrooms and offices. At Southampton Intermediate School, the plan would be to install HVAC equipment and make related renovations to provide climate control to first floor classrooms and offices. The funds would also be used to implement district-wide security and safety upgrades.

A second proposition would authorize the BOE to extend its lease for administrative office space with J. Farrell, c/o Farrell Building Company, Inc., located at 425 County Road 39A, for an additional five-year term of February 15, 2024 through February 15, 2029, with an annual lease amount in 2024 of $248,739.24, and a 2 percent annual increase thereafter.

Voters will also cast ballots on a proposition authorizing the BOE to contract for services with the Southampton History Museum in the amount of $255,000 for the 2021 to 2022 school year, as well as to contract for services with the Parrish Art Museum in the amount of $397,248 for the 2021 to 2022 school year — and to contract with the Southampton Youth Association in the amount of $416,500 for the 2021 to 2022 school year for a recreation program.

The annual budget vote and election will be held on Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Southampton Intermediate School Gymnasium, located at 70 Leland Lane in Southampton.