By:Elizabeth Sagarin
Budgets pass, incumbents remain
By decisive margins, the Island Park and Oceanside school budgets were approved by voters on May 15.
Island Park's $21,414,969 budget passed by just more than a 2-to-1 ratio, 506-250, and in Oceanside, the $82,192,819 budget was favored by 1,440 voters, to 936 against.
In an election without a contested school-board race, Oceanside incumbent Maryanne Lehrer had some concerns about there being enough turnout among "yes" voters to counter votes usually cast against the budget. The 24-year veteran of the board received 1,702 votes, and fellow incumbent Bob Transom, who also ran unopposed, received 1,363 votes, to put him on the board for a second term.
A referendum to shorten the distance required for elementary school children to receive busing, from four-fifths of a mile to a half-mile was defeated, 1,499-778. Had it passed, about 500 more students would have been provided with busing, and $39.20 would have been added to the average homeowner's tax bill. It was the third time that such a referendum failed.
Oceanside's $2,600,611 public library budget went through without a hitch. There were 1,479 approving votes cast to 754 negative votes.
Island Park saw a little more action this year. In the race for the one open seat on its school board, only 34 votes separated incumbent Ann Goldman from first-time candidate Donna Stykes. Goldman, a 21-year board member, received 420 votes, and Stykes, 386.
Goldman said it was the first time she felt really threatened by a challenger, and expressed relief. "I'm absolutely thrilled," she said, acknowledging that the formidable campaign Stykes and her camp put together early on really got things moving.
Stykes interpreted the close race as an affirmation of the ticket she ran on in the election. "The fact that the race was close shows this community is ready for a change," she said. She also took the increased number of voters this year as a positive sign.
Whether she will run again next year, she wasn't ready to determine, but it is something she will consider. Either way, she remains critical of the 5-year term (with few exceptions, most school boards in Nassau County operate with 3-year terms) Island Park school-board members command and the amount of terms that can be served. "I think that needs to be looked into," she said. "Maybe have a limit on the amount of terms."
It wasn't until the 13 absentee ballots were counted that Goldman was able to breathe easier election night. "I can't blame her for wanting my job; I love my job," she said.
The Island Park library board election was less of a nail-biter. Uncontested incumbent Tom McCreight received 562 votes to retain his position. The $818, 286 budget also got a thumbs-up, from 517 voters, 300 more than opposed it.
For the three school-board incumbents in the two districts, Lehrer, Transom and Goldman, their agendas remain the same. Lehrer believes the new state standards can be met without teaching specifically toward either an assessment test or Regents exam. She is also enthused to continue to serve as the legislative adviser to the Oceanside board. Her lobbying for proper funding for schools in Oceanside and all over Long Island will continue, she said.
Transom, a construction contractor, said he will continue to be involved in making the district as student-friendly as possible. Sprucing up the middle school with landscaping and brighter hallways, adding more classrooms at School 2, continuing with construction at Schools 5 and 6, without debt service, is a priority. "I'm looking forward to fighting for what's right for all kids, not just my own," he said. "That's the kind of guy I am."
Goldman has for a long time been an advocate for small class sizes, especially in elementary school. This remains a priority, she said. Also, keeping state standards in proper perspective is on her agenda.
Both districts' superintendents took the budget votes as compliments from the community.
"I'm very pleased," Dr. Edward Price of Island Park said. "It says the folks support our efforts."
In Oceanside, Dr. Herb Brown was equally elated. "I'm really pleased people expressed their support for the school district." For him and Price it meant the public believed each administration constructed a budget that serves the greater good.
Brown went on to say of the Oceanside board that the "community is blessed" to have them. Price, who didn't take a position on either of his district's candidates, did, however, say that having Goldman on the board was a "real asset" to the community.
She said, she wasn't ready to make a determination on running again next year, but it's something to consider. The former PTA president
