Bauscher Defeated in Bedford; Hwang Victorious in Chappaqua as Budgets Pass
Bedford Board of Education challengers Robert Mazurek and Steven Matlin won their races Tuesday night defeating incumbent Michael Bauscher as school budgets were overwhelmingly approved throughout the area.
Mazurek and Matlin, who ran as a ticket, picked up 1,425 and 1,360 votes, respectively, finishing ahead of Bauscher, who received 1,124 votes in a run for a second term. Namasha Schelling finished fourth with 952 votes. Two board seats were at stake.
Current board President Collette Dow opted against running for a third term.
Elsewhere, Cailee Hwang defeated Ellen Exum 796-450 in a race for the Chappaqua board seat that has been held by Vice President Holly McCall. McCall did not seek re-election because she is running this fall for New Castle supervisor.
In Pleasantville, Emily Rubin Persons was elected to a fourth term and will be joined on the board by newcomer Michael Busch. Busch finished first with 668 votes, followed by Persons with 641. Sara Hukkanen collected 519 votes. Current board President Lawrence Boes did not run for re-election.
Byram Hills and Mount Pleasant had uncontested races. Scott Levy was re-elected and first-time candidate Petrie Verma will serve three-year terms in Byram Hills while three incumbents in Mount Pleasant – President Colleen Scaglione Neglia, Vice President Michael Horan and board member Michael Griffin – were unopposed.
Budgets in Bedford, Chappaqua, Byram Hills, Mount Pleasant and Pleasantville all passed with ease. Bedford’s $144.4 million budget was approved 1,758-787; Chappaqua had its $130 million budget approved 1,053-271; voters gave the greenlight to Byram Hills’ $95.2 million budget by a 344-70 margin; Mount Pleasant saw its $66 million budget pass 368-182; and Pleasantville School District residents supported the budget by a 873-108 count.
Chappaqua voters okayed the proposition to transfer $600,000 for the Horace Greeley High School project 1,243-77. On the same ballot, the Chappaqua Library budget was approved 1,245-80 and Shohreh Anand defeated Karin Sobeck 660-500 for the library board.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
