Winchester School District voters pass budget, all other articles

By CALLIE GINTER Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — An $11,270,287 operating budget and seven other warrant articles passed Tuesday at the Winchester School District’s annual meeting. Because Winchester is an official-ballot school district, voters consider all decisions at the polls, which were open Tuesday after being postponed from March 14 due to the nor’easter.

The budget, approved 497-125, is up $277,375, or 2.5 percent, from the $10,992,912 passed for the 2016-17 school year.

In addition, voters agreed to a two-year contract with the Winchester Teachers Association, 379-238. The agreement, which was recommended by both the school board and the budget committee, calls for an increase of $84,274 for pay and benefits in the first year, 2017-18, and $87,731 in the second year, 2018-19, under current staffing levels.

Other appropriations that voters OK’d were $25,000 to be placed in the Special Education Expendable Trust Fund, with funding to come from the unreserved district balance available for transfer on July 1, as well as an article to raise $84,000 through taxes to be placed in the Building Improvements Capital Reserve Fund.

Elections

In the race for two, three-year terms on the school board, incumbent Kevin Bazan, with 321 votes, and Nicole Pelkey, with 297 votes, defeated Ben Kilanski, who trailed just behind with 295 votes.

In the race for a one-year term on the school board, Valerie S. Cole defeated Kim N. Gordon and Jack Marsh Jr. — Cole won with 261 votes, Marsh had 195 and Gordon had 113.

Incumbent Henry A.L. Parkhurst defeated Kevan Whippie for a two-year term as the school district moderator, 323-255.

Callie Ginter can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409 or cginter@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @CGinterKS.