Budgets approved

On May 15 Amherst residents walked into the polls and voted "yes" to all three school districts' budgets.

Williamsville Central School District

The $145 million budget for 2007-08 has been approved - 2,378 to 793.

Also, the three propositions passed. The Mill Street campus proposition was approved by a vote of 2,153 to 944. The proposition to purchase land at 480 Lawrence Bell Drive to house the district's Operations and Maintenance and Child Nutrition departments passed, 2,243 to 812. The third proposition, to create a capital reserve fund, passed, 2,253 to 686.

Three board members were elected to the three open seats: incumbent Ramona Popowich received the most votes, 2,208, and newcomers Carrie Kahn, 2,017 votes, and Dawn Cerra, 2,015, will fill the other two seats. Incumbent Carolyn Giambra lost the election, receiving only 1,798 votes.

A representative for the district said 3,330 people voted, a turnout that was slightly higher than the previous year. There are approximately 55,000 eligible voters in the district.

Amherst Central School District

Voters approved the $40.39 million budget for 2007-08 by a vote of 554 to 174.

The two propositions also passed: the $16.8 million capital improvement project, 521 to 174, and creating a capital reserve fund, 546 to 168.

Elected as Board of Education trustees for another term were Laura Meyers-Rogerson, with 435 votes, and JoEtte Zaccagnino, with 427 votes. Illana R. Lane was defeated, with 398 votes.

A total of 731 residents voted, of an eligible 18,500.

Sweet Home Central School District

The $60.31 million budget was approved by 701 to 197.

Voters also approved the proposition to purchase six buses at a cost of $428,100 by a vote of 653 to 224. A second proposition, to spend $3.6 million of state EXCEL aid on renovations and security improvements in five of the buildings, passed, 666 to 209.

The two trustees elected to a five-year term were Marianne Jasen, with 592 votes, and incumbent Douglas J. Gali, with 565 votes. Incumbent Scott M. Johnson, with 531 votes, was elected to a one-year term. Johnson had been appointed to fill an unexpired term this past year. Deborah Adams was defeated, with 427 votes.

A total of 898 from 23,435 registered voters went to the polls.