Schools

Meet the BOE Candidates Event Tonight

The high school PTA is sponsoring a forum where residents can meet the six candidates vying for election to the school board.

A meet the candidate night will be held this evening at 7 p.m. at the high school on Railroad Avenue.

The event, sponsored by the Parent Teacher Association, will provide residents the opportunity to meet the six candidates running for four available board seats.

Candidates are Dominick Montalto, Gregory Antolini, incumbent trustee Roger Katz, Alena Berenblatt, John Savoca and Pauline Cimaszewski. Each will have an opportunity speak and a question and answer segment will be part of the event. It’s slated to be held in the library but may be moved to the auditorium if there is a larger than expected turnout.

Patch is profiling the candidates in the next few weeks leading up to the budget vote and board election on May 17. The first profile published featured Roger Katz. Patch is also inviting residents to contribute opinion pieces on budget and district issues and topics. Just reach out to the editor at judy.mottl@patch.com.

Find out what's happening in Babylon Villagewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The issues this year have focused on budget spending, the number of administration positions and a call from taxpayers for greater transparency over district decision-making.

The district is undergoing big changes on the administration front. Current School Superintendent Ellen Best-Laimit is retiring as of August 1. The board has not yet made any determination regarding a replacement or a search strategy.

Find out what's happening in Babylon Villagewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In late March board vice president Catherine Vukovich resigned her seat one year early. The board had an option of appointing a replacement but did not choose to and instead left it open for election this year. It will be a one-year term and the elected board member in that seat will have to run for election again next year.

Current board president Henry Brunjes and trustee Judy Anderson, a former board president, have chosen not to seek re-election.

Also, on the administrative side, the district has hired a new principal, Al Cirone, to replace retiring principal Robert Visbal. A search for a new principal for the Babylon Memorial Grade School is still in progress.

On April 11 the board approved a $46 million spending plan that projects a tax increase of 2.86 percent and an estimated average tax bill increase of $232 for homeowners. A required public hearing on the adopted budget will be held Monday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m.

Voting on the budget and trustee positions will take place on Tuesday, May 17, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Babylon Memorial Grade School.

 


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