Shepardson, Tipp Win in Heated Chappaqua Board of Ed Race; Budget Passes
After a year of controversy and months of tension between the Chappaqua Board of Education and the community, voters elected newcomer Jane Shepardson and incumbent trustee Victoria Tipp Tuesday night, while voters also approved the districts $119.5 million budget for 2017-18.
With six candidates running to fill the two opens seats on the board of education, Shepardson was the top vote getter with 1179 votes, while Tipp followed with 795 votes.
The budget, which carries a 0.72 percent tax levy increase, passed by a 1691-363 margin.
Both winners thanked voters for supporting them and placing their trust in them.
“I’m really excited and I look forward to working with everybody very hard to make everybody feel really good about the school district,” Shepardson said.
Tipp, who has received harsh criticism throughout the school year, said that she would continue to work hard to increase communication and earn the community’s trust.
“I feel very grateful and very humble for the continued support and trust that the community has placed in me,” Tipp said. “We have a great school district and we will keep doing what we’ve always done.”
Despite falling short, candidates Sanford Benardo, Leah Heiss and Rhonda Kaufman congratulated each other on months of hard work and dedication to the school district. Kaufman collected 677 votes, Benardo 526, Rock 359 and Heiss 223.
“I think they (the community) knows we do a great job for children in the community and I think that’s apparent everyday when you walk on this campus and through the community,” McCann said.
