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Three WB trustees elected in major upset Three first-time school board candidates in West Babylon defeated three incumbents last week following a heated race. Voters in West Babylon also approved their annual school budget with a vote of of 1517 to 835. Challenged for their seats and eventually defeated were longtime trustees Lucy Campasano and Ron Congiusta. Kathleen Jennings, who had served one three-year term on the board was also defeated. Winning seats on the board with almost a two to one margin were Joe Romano, Wendy DeGaetano and Diane Klein. The three maintained throughout their campaign that unlike their opponents, they had children in the district and a better understanding of what the district needed to do to maintain excellence and move forward. As the votes were tallied and it became evident that Romano, De Gaetano and Klein had won, the three gathered with supporters at the back of the board room in the district's administration building, shaking hands, getting hugs and high fives. What we have to do now is what we said we would do and that is work hard for our kids," said De Gaetano moments after she was elected. "We will do what is best for our children and open the line of communication between the residents, teachers and the board." Anthony Cacciola, who will be stepping into the post as superintendent in July said he thanked the community for the budget and was looking forward to working with the new budget- and the new board. One community resident said she believed voting "yes" was the only way to ensure a quality of education for children. "No one wins by voting a budget down," said Colleen Mulieri after she voted at the high school. Retiring Superintendent Mel Noble also thanked the public for passing the district's $84 million budget and also thanked the three school board members who lost their bids for reelection. "They have served with great devotion and I can recall many examples of projects and programs that they are responsible for bringing to the district," said Noble. "The district is a whole lot better because of their willingness to serve." In other district elections: Amityville residents approved their $69.9 million school budget 734 to 442 and reelected trustees Michelle Sikhrangkur and Juliet Jordan-Thompson, 659 and 805 votes respectively. The two incumbent trustees ran without opposition. "The budget was approved by almost a 2 to 1 margin," commented Dr. Brian De Sorbe, school superintendent. "We have tried to be fiscally responsible and to provide a quality education and I think taxpayers responded to that by passing this year's budget."
Copiague: Three incumbent trustees, Doris Fischer, Everett Newman III and Michael Greb were reelected to office. Fischer and Newman ran unopposed while Greb defeated candidate Darline Jackson. In addition, district voters approved a new $91.2 million budget that will enable the district to utilize $4 million in new state aid to shore up programs, hire more teachers, provide tutorial intervention and add guidance counselors and school security.
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