Area School Budgets Pass Easily; Mester, Messner Win in Chappaqua
Voters easily passed four local school district budgets Tuesday night and Chappaqua Board of Education Trustee Jeffrey Mester won re-election in a three-candidate race for two seats.
Budgets in Chappaqua, Pleasantville, Mount Pleasant and Bryam Hills were approved by overwhelming margins, ranging from just over 2-1 in Mount Pleasant to a 4-1 edge in Chappaqua.
Chappaqua Superintendent Dr. Lyn McKay said she was pleased that the public strongly supported the $114.8 million 2013-14 spending plan. The 997-247 count reflected machine totals and absentee ballots but not affidavit ballots.
“We have such a nice partnership with our teachers, administrators, custodial staff, etc.,” McKay said. “We all work to ensure we continue our great programs.”
In the board of education race, Mester won a third term with 921 votes while first-time candidate Warren Messner finished a close second, picking up 872 votes. The third candidate, Frederick Stein, was a distant third with 275. Messner said he was prepared to contribute to the district.
“I’m ready to work with the board of education,” he said. “I want to help create a great education for the children.”
The Pleasantville School District also saw sweeping approval of its $46.3 million 2013-14 budget (750-282). District officials on hand for the final tally were able to breathe easy when the results were announced.
Superintendent Mary Fox-Alter thanked the community for “its vote of confidence and support.”
Board President Lois Winkler said the overwhelming approval is an indication of how deeply the community supports the schools.
“And this is passed by a huge margin,” Winkler said, “…It means we’re doing something right.”
Trustee Shane McGaffey ran unopposed for a second term with 834 votes, taking the only seat up this year.
In Mount Pleasant, where the $52.5 million budget passed 539-271, Superintendent Dr. Susan Guiney said the district received strong support because school officials listened and used the “collaborative processes of the board to understand what the community requested, like keeping class sizes low.”
In the uncontested board of education race, Christopher Pinchiaroli collected 613 votes while Theresa Fowler had 559 votes.
Byram Hills’ $83.8 million budget was approved by a 779-234 tally. Incumbent trustees Alban Burke, Robin Glat and Joyce Meiklejohn were unopposed in their bids for a second term.
David Propper, Megan Wong and Laine Vitkevich contributed to this article.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.