School budgets face May 20 vote

Voters across three school districts will decide on higher spending plans for the coming school year on Tuesday, May 20.

Webutuck Central School District, Millbrook Central School District and Pine Plains Central School District all propose higher K-12 budgets for the 2025-2026 school year.

Voters will cast votes on the proposed budgets on May 20 from noon to 9 p.m.

The proposed budget for Webutuck, with an enrollment of 637 students from K-12, shows a 5.96% increase from the previous year to $28,665,850. Voters also will be asked to approve a $249,190 expense for a new school bus and two transportation vans.

In Millbrook, which enrolled 750 students in the 2023-24 school year, according to the state Education Department, a draft budget posted on the school district’s website calls for a 3.11% increase to $35,649,651.

Pine Plains proposes spending $38,712,336, an increase of 2.71%.

Proposed tax levies to support the budget also all show increases: Webutuck, up 5.27%; Millbrook, up 2.61%; and Pine Plains, up 3.2%.

On May 20, voters also will decide on candidates for Board vacancies.

At Webutuck, Nichole Reyes and Anthony Robustelli, both incumbents, will be on the ballot for new terms.

In Millbrook, Perry Hartswick, current Board of Education president, is running for another term. Jennifer Carnecchia and Dena Ghobashy also are running as incumbents.

In Pine Plains, two incumbents are running for new three-year terms: Board President Amie Fredericks and Fred “Chip” Couse.