Residents approve area school budgets

    TRI-COUNTY AREA—School district residents approved all 2013-14 budgets during the Tuesday, May 21, school vote in Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen, and Odessa-Montour.
    Penn Yan's budget was approved 756-220, as was a bus purchase, 719-252.  There were five school board candidates running for three seats.  Incumbents Jeffrey Morehouse (697 votes) and Kathy Guenther (627) were both reelected.  Phyllis Record won the third seat (473).  Incumbent Jeff Bray (471) and David Willson (415) were not elected.
    The Dundee budget passed, 155-37.  Residents also approved the Dundee library agreement, vehicle purchase, and a new vehicle reserve fund.  All three candidates were reelected: Paul Brown (170), James Koehler (168), and Kristen VanValkenburg (160).
    Hammondsport residents voted in favor the budget, 173-29, and authorized the creation of a technology reserve fund.  Board member James Zimar (187) was reelected unopposed.
    The Watkins Glen budget passed, 378-150.  Watkins had a contested election.  Newcomers Kristin Hazlitt (283) and Mark Franzese (248) were elected to fill the open seats.  Tom Lewis (212), Heidi Pike (172), and Barbara Schimizzi (157) were also on the ballot.
    Odessa-Montour's budget was approved, 319-77.  Residents voted in favor of increasing the library levies and the district purchasing two buses.  Four candidates ran for two open seats.  Incumbent Scott Westervelt (292) and Robert Tuttle (217) won.  Wendy Shutter (147) and Sharon Lewis (118) were also on the ballot.