Both Oyster Bay-East Norwich and Locust Valley school budgets pass

The chorus room at Oyster Bay High School was silent at 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, as poll workers from the Board of Elections tallied the votes. Superintendent Francesco Ianni and Deputy Superintendent Maureen Raynor stood against the wall, and rows of district employees sat nearby. The atmosphere was tense, because although they believed the $64.4 million budget would pass, it wasn’t a sure thing.

An hour later, they got the good news. The Oyster Bay-East Norwich district’s 2024-25 spending plan passed, with 517 residents voting “yes” and 215 voting “no.”

The scene at Bayville Intermediate School’s gym, the Community Hall in the Bookville Church and at Ann MacArthur School’s gym in the Locust Valley Central School District, was pretty much the same. The district’s proposed budget of $96.4 million was approved as well, by a vote of 904 to 554.

“As a new superintendent of the Locust Valley CSD, I was delighted to witness the unwavering dedication of our community towards ensuring that our school budget successfully passed,” Kristen Turnow, who took over as district leader last July, said. “This achievement is a testament to the collective effort of our entire school community.”

The Oyster Bay budget doesn’t promise anything flashy, Ianni said, but it does ensure that all programs and initiatives will remain in place. When he heard that it passed, he couldn’t have been happier.

“It’s excellent news. I’m very, very satisfied,” he said. “This was a difficult budget, with state and foundation aid not coming in until the last minute. The students will now continue to benefit from the great programs we have here.”

There were two additional propositions in Oyster Bay, both of which passed, allowing the district to use $415,000 from its technology capital reserve fund for technology projects, and $440,000 from its regular capital reserve fund for board-approved projects yet to be determined, neither of which will carry any cost for taxpayers.

Proposition 2 in Locust Valley, which focused on capital reserve projects for track bleachers, locker room renovations and roof replacements, among other things, also passed. The proposition, which will cost $3.7 million, will be funded by the district’s $13 million capital reserve.

Locust Valley’s spending plan features a 1.96 percent tax levy increase, in keeping with a conservative fiscal approach, while addressing the district’s critical infrastructure needs. Despite the availability of higher tax levy options, administrators opted for restraint, to balance student needs with those of taxpayers and stakeholders.

Turnow said that the success of the budget and propositions was indicative of what voters have come to expect from the district.

“Together with the Board of Education, we are deeply committed to responsibly managing our resources for the benefit of our students,” she wrote in an email. “This budget underscores our firm dedication to education, prioritizing innovation and equity to empower every student to reach their full potential. With our collective efforts, we will continue to foster an environment where every student will graduate embodying the values of service and civic responsibility.”

Two seats were open on Oyster Bay’s Board of Education, one for a year, due to the departure of Trustee Norah Windhausen, and the other for four years, with Trustee Darren Gerbosi having decided not to run again. John Paul Kopacz secured the four-year term, garnering 521 votes, and Joseph Laurita, Jr. who secured 366, will serve one year.

On Tuesday night, prior to the tallying of votes, the two candidates sat together, chatting amiably. Kopacz, 43, of East Norwich, has been an educator and administrator for the past 17 years in the Great Neck school district. Laurita, 47, a real estate agent, lives in Oyster Bay. He is a former New York City and Garden City police officer who retired in 2002.

In Locust Valley, Nicholas Della Fera and George Vasiliou were re-elected to the school board, with 861 and 736 votes, respectively, while the third candidate, Michael McGlone, finished just one vote behind Vasiliou.
Della Fera, 34, has served on the board for a year, since the resignation of its president, Brian Nolan, last year. A Locust Valley graduate, he works in the pharmaceutical industry.

Vasiliou, 47, an Upper Brookville resident, joined the board in 2020. A corporate vice president for the TemPositions Group of Companies, his former career in education spans over 20 years. Before coming to Locust Valley, Vasiliou held several leadership positions in the New York City Department of Education, including executive director of financial operations and deputy chief operating officer. His responsibilities included overseeing a significant budget and managing a large workforce.

Additional reporting by Will Sheeline.