JAMESTOWN – The 2013 School elections are set to take place today across New York State, including 18 school districts here in Chautauqua County.
In Jamestown, residents will be voting on a $73,370,000 school budget with no increase to the tax levy and no layoffs to the current teaching staff, although a dozen positions are being eliminated through attrition. The budget is $1,426,000 lower than the current year’s spending plan.
In addition, residents will vote on a proposition calling for the school district to lease to own several buses and other student transportation vehicles, at a cost not to exceed $790,000. Assistant Superintendent for Administration Dale Weatherlow says the school’s current bus fleet is aging and getting the new vehicles will benefit the school in the long-run.
“I think it’s important to recognize that we do have a large fleet here in Jamestown and we have an aging fleet,” Weatherlow said earlier this month. “It’s just like our home vehicles. You have to replace them after a certain point in time. They go beyond there useful life and they start costing more in repairs and upkeep than they are worth, so we need to start replacing them more aggressively and this proposition will help do that.”
Residents will also vote for two school board seats. Up for re-election are School Board President Joe DiMaio and current board member Patrick Slagle. In addition, Jamestown Resident Todd Rushforth is also running for one of the two seats.
The budget vote, referendum and school board election will be from noon to 9 p.m. and is open to all residents within the Jamestown Public School district. Voting will take place at Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson schools.
Leave a Reply