SULLIVAN COUNTY — Tuesday, May 20 is the day to have your say on local school budgets and board members.

The school districts which serve Sullivan County will be holding their annual budget and board votes on that day, and we've collected the info you need to know before walking into the polling place.

(Eldred, Fallsburg, Liberty and Livingston Manor were covered in this past Tuesday's issue.)

Please note that to vote you must be at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a registered voter (with the county's Board of Elections or, if you wish, just with the district), and a legal resident of the school district for at least the past 30 days.

So have a look, then have your say!

Ellenville

Ellenville, whose district covers portions of the Town of Mamakating, is proposing a $49,098,553 budget for 2014-15, up 7.95 percent over the current years.

The projected tax levy increase is 2.63 percent, within the state cap for Ellenville.

Supt. Lisa Wiles wrote that although the district has been able to preserve programs and avoid extreme cuts in recent years, it's done so, in part, by drawing on surplus funds. Those, she said, are dwindling, and the state's strict tax levy limits make it difficult to replenish those resources.

“The use of reserves will catch up with us in the coming years if the tax levy cap and state aid levels remain the same,” Wiles cautioned.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the High School Library on Maple Avenue in Ellenville.

For more information, visit www.ecs.k12.ny.us.

Monticello

Monticello, the county's largest school district, is proposing an $83,178,573 budget for 2014-15, up 3.73 percent over the current year's version.

The tax levy is projected to rise by 1.41 percent, within the state-mandated cap.

Increasing pension and healthcare costs are responsible for the hike, along with unfunded mandates, said Supt. Daniel Teplesky.

“State aid has improved a bit this year, but district finances are still undermined by the states Gap Elimination Adjustment,” he stated. “Our district stands to lose $1.9 million in 2014-15 alone because of this legislation.”

No cuts are proposed, and two new full-time social workers are part of the plan, plus increasing the Chase Elementary social worker to full-time.

Voters will have several other choices to make, as well.

Proposition #2 will ask whether voters are in favor of or against purchasing $550,000 worth of school buses, 56 percent of which would be paid by state aid over five years via bonding. The measure, if approved, would increase taxes marginally.

Proposition #3 will ask whether voters are in favor of or against spending $750,000 to expand video surveillance, create secure entry points and install door monitoring/keycard systems for all schools. The monies would come from existing reserves and not cost taxpayers extra.

Voters will also be tasked with choosing who sits for the next three years in three open board seats. Incumbents Robert Bellamy, June Havas-Lombardi and Alyce Van Etten are all running for re-election. Running against Bellamy is John Moul, against Havas-Lombardi is Scott Dorn, and against Van Etten is Latisha Rodriguez.

Polling places will depend on your residential location, but all polls will be open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Robert J. Kaiser Middle School (Election District 1) off Route 42 in Monticello, the Duggan Community Center on Route 55 in White Lake (District 2), the Chase Elementary School (District 3) on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wurtsboro, the Rock Hill Firehouse (District 4) on County Route 58 in Rock Hill, and the Forestburgh Town Hall (District 5) on Route 42 in Forestburgh.

For more information (including your particular polling location), call the district at 794-7700, or visit www.monticelloschools.net.

Pine Bush

Though headquartered in Orange County, the Pine Bush district extends into Sullivan County's Town of Mamakating, and it's proposing a $105,533,819 budget for 2014-15, a 1.01 percent increase over the current year's.

That comes with a 1.95 percent projected tax levy increase, right at the state-mandated cap for Pine Bush.

For their money, taxpayers will get another special education teacher, instructional technologist, grounds worker and part-time occupational therapist, though the following positions – slated to become vacant – won't be refilled: a school monitor, an art teacher and a phys. ed. teacher (all part-time), and a math teacher, elementary teacher and security guard (all full-time).

No programs are being cut, nor are class sizes increasing, Supt. Joan Carbone explained.

“I'm proud of the work we were able to do to preserve our wonderful programs,” she noted.

Two three-year board seats are up for grabs, as incumbents Joseph Peluso and R.J. Smith are not seeking re-election. Running are Marianne Serratore, Cara Robertson, Rebecca Christner and Eric Meier.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. in various locations, but for Mamakating residents, the place to go is the town park off County Route 171 in Bloomingburg.

For more info, visit www.pinebushschools.org.

Port Jervis

The most populous school district to serve Sullivan County has no facilities in the county, but Port Jervis boundaries encompass portions of the towns of Forestburgh and Mamakating.

So local voters will weigh in on the Port's proposed $63,856,785 budget for 2014-15, a 2.72 percent increase over the current year's.

If approved, the projected tax levy hike will be 1.32 percent, beneath the state-mandated cap for Port Jervis.

All educational programs are preserved, with no layoffs, though that was hard-won, according to Supt. Thomas Bongiovi.

“It's extremely challenging to develop a budget when there isn't enough state aid revenue to run our schools,” he said.

Voters will also need to make a choice about going forward or not with a $5.24 million safety/instructional upgrade to school buildings, which would increase taxes by $3-$5 a year per taxpayer, thanks to state aid covering 84 percent of the cost. The project includes door safety improvements, smartboard upgrades, and lighting and generator additions to various facilities.

A third proposition will ask voters to approve or reject the creation of a repair reserve fund, which would store monies for future emergency repairs. The creation of the fund would come with no tax increase.

Finally, voters will need to choose who will sit in three board seats for the next three years.

Board President William Smith is the only incumbent running for re-election, with Brandy Figueroa and Roger Kalin retiring. Other candidates for the three spots include Judith Amato, Daniel Morse, Tanya Parker-Hughes and Florence Santini.

Polls are open from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Forestburgh residents living in what's known as the “Rio District” will be voting at the Port Jervis High School Gymnasium #2 on Route 209 in Port Jervis, while Mamakating residents and Forestburgh residents in the Oakland Valley area will be voting at the Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School on Route 209 in Cuddebackville.

For more info (including your particular voting location), call 858-3100, ext. 15531, or head to www.pjschools.org.

Roscoe

Roscoe's 2014-15 proposed budget weighs in at $8,126,409, the smallest of any district in Sullivan County, though it's a 4.98 percent increase over the current year's budget.

The projected 1.51 percent tax levy increase is right at the state-mandated cap for Roscoe.

The proposal maintains all of the current staff/programs and includes the addition of distance-learning technology to offer college-level classes.

“This budget was created with the assistance of Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who allocated an additional $50,000 in state aid, which helped us avoid staff or program cuts,” a grateful Supt. John Evans explained.

Two seats on the board are open, each for three-year terms. Incumbents Tasse Niforatos and Lynn Wachter are both running unopposed for re-election.

Voters will also be asked to decide on increasing the district's contribution towards the annual support of the Roscoe Free Library from $44,000 to $46,000.

Polls will be open from 12-8 p.m. at the Roscoe School Gymnasium on Academy Street in Roscoe.

For more information, visit www.roscoe.k12.ny.us.

Sullivan West

For 2014-15, Sullivan West is proposing a $34,939,735 budget, up 1.36 percent from the current years budget. With that comes a projected 1.28 percent tax levy increase, right at the state-mandated cap.

Programs and staffing will be maintained at current levels.

“I compliment the board and how they've worked really hard to be fiscally responsible to the community,” noted Supt. Nancy Hackett.

Voters will also make perfunctory decisions on three people who will serve the next three years on the board.

Incumbents Mary Scheutzow and Kathleen Meckle are running unopposed for their seats, while Trevor Peachey is the sole candidate for the seat from which Angela Daley is retiring.

Voting will take place from 12-9 p.m. at a location thats dependent on where you live: the Delaware Youth Center (District 1) on Creamery Road in Callicoon, the Sullivan West Elementary Schools 1938 gym (District 2) on Schoolhouse Road in Jeffersonville, or the Tusten-Cochecton branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library (District 3) on Bridge Street (Route 52) in Narrowsburg.

For more information (including your polling location), contact the district at 482-4610, ext. 3000, or visit www.swcsd.org.

Tri-Valley

At $30,950,677, Tri-Valley's proposed 2014-15 budget is 1.87 percent higher than the current year's budget, while the projected tax levy increase will be 1.84 percent, underneath the state-mandated cap.

The seventh-grade Spanish program is being eliminated, shifting the first year to eighth grade, while the retiring driver's ed. teacher is not being replaced, with BOCES taking over the administration of that program, said Supt. Tom Palmer.

The budget, if approved, will add a Sheriff-provided school resource officer and bump a science teacher from part-time up to full-time. Palmer said short-term classes in solar and wind are also planned to be offered.

“We're always about kids-first,” he said, hoping the community realizes the effort the board and district have put into crafting a fiscally responsible budget.

Voters will also determine who occupies three open board seats for the next three years. Incumbents Scott Mickelson and Joyce Hartman are running for re-election, while Carrie James is not. New candidates include Laura Quick and Patrick Kelly. The top three vote-getters will land the spots on the board.

To find out more, visit www.tvcs.k12.ny.us.