Voters Approve Southampton Union Free School District's Budget

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — The results are in and the proposed 2021 to 2022 budget for the Southampton Union Free School District passed handily, by a vote of 408 to 167.

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

The public also voted 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; Cara Conklin-Wingfield received 446 votes, Jacqueline Robinson received 420, and Sunhe Sherwood-Dudley garnered 395.

Voters also weighed in on propositions: The first authorizes 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, 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 is to install HVAC equipment and make related renovations to provide climate control to first-floor classrooms and offices. The funds will also be used to implement district-wide security and safety upgrades.

That measure passed 437 to 131.

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. The proposition passed 322 to 240.

Voters 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; that passed 415 to 156.

A proposition to contract for services with the Parrish Art Museum in the amount of $397,248 for the 2021 to 2022 school year passed 384 to 189.

Finally, a proposition to contract with the Southampton Youth Association in the amount of $416,500 for the 2021 to 2022 school year for a recreation program passed 422 to 146.