Southern Ulster Times Jun. 29 2016

TIMES SOUTHERN Voters OK Highland School budget for 2016-17 ULSTER Vol. 13, No 26 3 JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2016 Nukes glide Page 49 3 ONE DOLLAR Saluting the Class of 2016 Inside SERVING HIGHLAND, MARLBOROUGH AND PLATTEKILL ‘Reaching for the stars’ Marlborough honors its state champions By MARK REYNOLDS [email protected] Last Tuesday, voters in Highland approved a revised school budget for 201617 of $41,522,885 with an accompanying tax levy of $26,051,044 by a vote of 772 yes to 353 no, passing by 68.6%. The budget increase stands at 2.5% over this year and the tax levy now falls just under the cap at 0.586%. A simple majority of 50% plus one was needed to pass. Superintendent Deborah Haab commented on the approval of the budget. “Obviously we are relieved that we don’t have to cut deeper into our programs and we’ll start making our plans moving forward,” she said. Haab said the district recently had confirmation that they will receive $200,000 from NYS Sen. George Amedore and an additional $100,000 from NYS Assemblyman Frank Skartados through member items. “The board will be looking at those positions that we were going to leave unfilled and see what we can possibly restore of student programs,” she said. “I want to thank all these people who joined me in the district in lobbying our legislators because it has paid off.” Haab thanked everyone who supported the budget. “Going to a contingency budget would have meant further reductions in student programs. We are thankful that is not something that we’re going to have to do,” she said. The Town of Marlborough turned out last Wednesday to honor its boys’ varsity baseball and girls’ varsity softball teams that each won a state championship. By BOND BRUNGARD [email protected] It was a big feat in a small town when Marlboro’s varsity baseball and softball teams won state Class B titles earlier this month. The boys beat Fredonia Saturday, WWW.SOUTHERNULSTERTIMES.COM June 11, and arrived home with a noisy escort in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12. Later that Continued on page 47