When residents go to the polls for school budgets and board elections next year, they’ll be using the familiar lever voting machines rather than the electronic ballot scanners used in the November general election.
East Williston School Board officials passed a resolution Monday at a board of education meeting to continue the use of the lever voting machines, citing the need to save taxpayer money.
“If we were to go with the new system, we would have to provide a paper ballot for each resident at a cost of 57 cents per ballot,” said East Williston Board of Education President Mark Kamberg. “Only a fraction of voters come out for board elections or budget votes.”
Kamberg said that purchasing paper ballots for each of the district’s 7,000 voters would cost the district more than $12,000 in addition the rental fees for the machines, which run $1,500 per machine.
“Most district clerks I have been speaking with are sticking with the old system,” school district clerk Linda Rosen said. “It’s just too expensive to go with the new system.”
Earlier in the year the state Board of Elections granted school districts the ability to use the old lever-pulling machines in school budget elections through the end of 2012.
Municipalities are permitted to use the lever machines instead of electronic scanners as a result of legislation co-sponsored by state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and state Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck), which was approved by the state Legislature in February.
To exercise that option, the board was required to pass a resolution that said the county was not liable to service the machines – only provide their use.
In other developments The East Williston School Board honored the Willets Road School for the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Award presented by the U.S. Department of Education.
“It’s a wonderful program to be recognized,” Kamberg said. “It’s really a celebration of children, staff and parents that together really make up the results that are demonstrated. We are here tonight because the East Williston School District is not education as usual. We’re a school district with programs that work and lessons here a not just for school but for life.”
The school was recognized by the education department in September, and Kamberg said Monday’s meeting gave the school board a chance to celebrate the recognition.
The Willets Road School was one of six middle schools designated blue ribbon winners in New York State, according to Stephen Kimmel, principal at Willets Road for the past five years.
Kimmel, who was previously an assistant principal at the Garden City Middle School, thought the school was capable of winning the recognition. But he said he was pleasantly surprised when the education department contacted the school last February to offer the administration the opportunity to file the 60-page application to be considered for the honor.
The school was one of four Long Island schools recognized by the education department, including W.T. Clarke Middle School in East Meadow, Forest Park Elementary in the Half Hollows School District, and Oldfield Middle School in the Harbor Fields School District.
State Assemblywoman Michele Schimel and Town of North Hempstead Councilman Tom Dwyer joined in the celebration, presenting state and town proclamations.
“I want to thank the board of education for their dedication to the district,” Schimel said. I thank you because you have never stopped in your pursuit of excellence.”
Schimel encouraged audience members to get involved with district politics, because if they remained silent the district would decide for them.
Dwyer, who was a student of the Willets Road School, said he still has good memories of his times at the school.
“I really remember my seventh grade field trip to the woods that was such a great experience,” Dwyer said. It was nice to get away and really helped you understand nature. I want to commend all of you for your efforts, and it was a pleasure to be here tonight.”
Members of the Willets Road School sixth and seventh grade ensemble performed holiday melodies such as ‘Jingle Bells’ the ‘Dreidel song.’
Also recognized during the meeting was the Wheatley varsity girl’s field hockey team, which was selected by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as the winner of the New York State Champion Scholar Awards.
The team was also recognized for a school record of having a combined GPA of 98.591, which was the highest in the team’s 21-year history at the school, Kamberg said.
“It really is a great achievement,” Kamberg said. The credit goes the students families, teachers and the board of education was very proud of them.”
