ELDRED, NY — Five weeks from the date of the original vote the voters finally had their say, and they threw their support behind Scott Hallock and the Eldred Central School ddistrict budget.   

About 50 people were on hand to hear the results of the election, including all of the district administrators and board members Carol Bliefernich and Allyson Wagner.  Linda Bohs was also on hand to learn who would take her place at the table.

The results were Hallock-449, Pete Carmeci-267, John Tice-62.  After the vote was announced the three men shook hands. 

The vote was 521 in favor of the $16,848,150 budget, which represents a 3.04% increase in property taxes, and 234 were against.  The budget decreased $300,000 from the prior year budget after $800,000 of cuts were incorporated.  These cuts were offset by $500,000 in additional costs primarily in the area of salaries and benefits.

 Hallock was elated at the outcome of the vote but quickly noted that there is a lot of work to be done in the district.  “We have to save the district, we can’t be shipping our kids out,” he said.  His term is for five years and becomes effective July 1. 

741 residents came out to cast their votes.  The day was comfortably warm and sunny, similar to the original vote date of May 15.  The difference was that the second time around, the ideal conditions continued right up till the polls closed, as evidenced by the gaggle of interested persons who waited outside until 9:00 pm before entering the school building to watch the count begin.  The May 15 vote was cancelled due to the emergency conditions that existed after a severe windstorm swept through Sullivan County, with Eldred being particularly hard hit.

The voting machine was brought in from Orange County. 

Bliefernich, who supported Hallock for the board seat, did not make herself available for comment.  Wagner, who backed Carmeci, said that it was a sad day for the kids in the district.  She said that while programs are eliminated and electives are cut for the high school students, teachers continue to collect their contractual salary increases.  “The situation is unsustainable”, predicted Wagner.

Tice did not aggressively campaign for the board seat.

The board will have its work cut out for it in the upcoming year.  The district has been listed as one of only two school districts in the state that are in significant financial distress with depleted fund balances and declining enrollment.

Also on the ballot was funding for the Sunshine Hall Free Library.  The vote was 576 to 180 in favor of authorizing a tax levy of $14,790 to fund the Library.