Chester school district to hold budget, BOE vote

On Tuesday, May 21, Chester Union Free School District residents will vote to fill two Board of Education seats. Just two candidates are running for those two seats: Lisa Hines-Johnson and Rosalie Pena, both of which will be newcomers to the board.

In addition, voters will decide whether to pass the budget for the 2024-25 school year, also known as Proposition 1 on the ballot. Total budget appropriations are set at $36,506,854, an increase of 5.64% from the previous year. The tax levy will be based on a total of $20,741,351, and increase of 2.60% from the previous year. The school district estimates the average cost to homeowners to be a total of $6,542.20, an increase of 1.69%, based on an average assessed home value of $160,000.

Aside from Proposition 3 — the Maple Avenue proposition (whether to transfer the property to Orange County) — voters will also decide on Proposition 2, a district-wide school safety capital project. The capital project will include “door and transactional area” construction at Chester Elementary School, construction of a “transactional area” at Chester Academy, and district-wide security upgrades and other improvements at a cost of $1,867,000. The project is eligible for New York State Building Aid at 67.7%. According to the school district, an average home in Chester would pay $16.50 per year for 15 years.

Additional details on both the budget and capital project can be found on the school website. The vote will take place in the Chester Academy Band Room on May 21, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.