North Fork school districts approve budgets; Greenport to cut 21 jobs
Greenport voters overwhelmingly passed a school budget Tuesday night that raises taxes by nearly 8% and slashes more than 20 positions.
The three other North Fork school districts — Mattituck-Cutchogue, Southold and Oysterponds — approved budgets that stay within the allowable tax cap.
In Greenport, the $26 million spending plan, with a 7.91% tax levy hike, was approved by 72% of voters, 398 to 153 — surpassing the required 60% needed to pierce the allowable tax cap of 3.04%.
The budget calls for cutting 21 positions, including 10 instructional positions, 10 non-instructional positions and one administrative role. School officials have emphasized the new spending plan will keep class sizes small, while maintaining transportation, educational offerings, music, athletics and extracurricular activities.
“Thank you to the Greenport community for your support and for participating in tonight’s vote,” said first-year Superintendent Beth Doyle. “We recognize that this budget process involved difficult conversations and significant challenges, and we appreciate the trust placed in the district moving forward.
“This budget allows us to continue supporting our students while taking important steps toward restoring the district’s long-term financial stability. We remain committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and providing meaningful opportunities for our students.”
In the school board race, Kirsten Droskoski was re-elected.
If the budget had been rejected, a revote would have been held June 16, with deeper cuts that would have eliminated 28 positions and reduced electives and field trips.
“I’m sorry that it’s the only budget that’s going up, but I voted for it anyway,” Greenport resident Patricia Creedon said after casting her vote. “It’s to support the school district and the kids.”
Fellow resident Judy Roth called the budget “fairly reasonable,” saying the school has “a lot to do to educate kids, and so I voted for it.”
Mattituck-Cutchogue’s $48.3 million budget — a 3.19% increase from last year — passed 406 to 150. The new spending plan comes with a 2.63% tax levy bump.
Patricia Arslanian and Lorraine Warren were re-elected to the school board for three-year terms. Newcomer Suzanne Martinez was elected to a one-year term.
Southold’s $36.8 million budget was approved 376 to 92. The budget carries a tax levy increase of 2.71%, just under the state cap.
School board incumbents Thomas Grattan Jr., Dawn Hagerman and Scott Latham were all re-elected.
Oysterponds’ $5.98 million school budget passed 214 to 38. The tax levy increase is 4.76% — equal to the district’s tax-cap limit.
Voters also passed both propositions on the ballot. The first authorizes up to $89,000 for technology and educational facility projects. Proposition 2 allows up to $46,000 for the purchase of a Kubota 4WD utility vehicle with snow removal and salting capabilities, along with related costs.
School board incumbents Jeffrey Demarest and Janice Caufield were both re-elected to three-year terms. Newcomer Nicole Garret won a two-year term, filling Erin Johnson’s vacated seat following her resignation last year.
