Mattituck budget approved as Arslanian, Hoeg elected to Board of Education
Voters in the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District approved a $41.4 million budget for 2020-21 by a wide margin, the district announced Wednesday afternoon.
The budget received 1,660 yes votes compared to 754 no votes. Two additional propositions on the ballot were both approved.
Pat Arslanian, 65, a retired Mattituck English teacher, and Mary Lynn Hoeg, 53, who currently works as an office manager at the Hoeg Dental Group in Mattituck, were elected to the Board of Education in the only contested race among the five North Fork districts. Ms. Arslanian was the top vote getter with 1,461 votes and Ms. Hoeg was second with 1,451.
Brian Mealy finished third with 1,381 votes.
The results were announced nearly 23 hours after the counting began on Tuesday evening. All budgets were approved on the North Fork.
Mattituck voters approved spending $650,000 from the capital reserve fund on a new boiler at Cutchogue West, a new roof at Cutchogue East and a multipurpose room renovation at Mattituck-Cutchogue Jr./Sr. High School. There were 1,895 yes votes and 517 no votes.
The second proposition approved will establish a repair reserve fund that can be funded up to $750,000 from annual budgetary appropriation or money remaining in the general fund and would be used for repairs and renovations. There were 1,646 yes votes and 752 no votes.
“The board of education and administration wish to thank all those who voted,” Superintendent Jill Gierasch said in a statement. “We are grateful for your continued support. Together, we will continue to provide our students with the quality education and services they need to be successful in the future.”
Similar to other districts, voter turnout was up sharply compared to recent years. The total of 2,414 votes was more than double last year’s total (1,180). And last year’s total had represented a 35% increase compared to the prior year as turnout increased due to a turf field proposition that was ultimately rejected.
The voting was done entirely by mail-in absentee ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.
