Editorial: Vote ‘yes’ in Oysterponds Tuesday

The drama’s done, as Herman Melville wrote toward the end of “Moby Dick.” In this case, the dispute over where students from East Marion and Orient will attend high school in the future provided no small amount of drama in recent months. The Board of Education favored two choices, Greenport and Mattituck, but the community made its preference to maintain the historic ties with Greenport alone quite clear.

To demonstrate their displeasure with the school board, voters rejected the budget, even though it came with a very modest tax increase, during last month’s election. Oysterponds was the only North Fork district to suffer a budget defeat.

With the board’s subsequent decision to drop the Mattituck option, there’s no need to send another message and so no reason to vote no during next Tuesday’s revote.

It’s a good budget, one in keeping with the state’s property tax hike limits. Pass it and move on, leaving all the arguing, infighting and finger-pointing in the past, where it belongs. It’s time to celebrate all the good things going on in that little school.