Voters headed to the polls last week, passing their school budgets and propositions easily and electing school board trustees. (See page 2 for results). In two stunning upsets, however, West Babylon School Board President Ray Cody and Babylon School Board Trustee Darrell Conway were defeated in their bids for reelection.

In Babylon, two seats were open on the Board. In addition to Conway who was seeking another threeyear term, incumbent Catherine Vukovich was also running for reelection. Also running in the at-large election was Lisa McKeown. Conway garnered 766 votes; Vukovich 776 and McKeown 786.

Following the announcement of the results, Conway said he had a good six years on the board and is proud of what he and the other board members had accomplished. "I still enjoyed the job but it's time to move on and I wish the newly elected board members and the rest of the board good luck," he said.

In West Babylon, voters turned away controversial board member Ray Cody, as well as George Retaleato and Donald Massman, his running mates. The three opposed incumbents Patrick Farrell, Kathleen Jennings and Diane Thiel, as well as former school board members James Bocca, Lucy Campasano and Carmine Galletta. When all the votes were counted, it was Farrell, Jennings, Thiel, Campasano and Galletta who won the five seats on the board. The only other candidate was James Bocca who ran with Galletta, but did not win a seat.

"I'm thrilled to be back and I am looking forward to working with this new board," said Campasano, who lost a bid for reelection two years ago. "We now have a mix of trustees, some with long experience and others with new experience and we will get fresh ideas from the newer people and tried-and-true ideas from the more experienced trustees. History plays a great part in everything and we need to know where we have been to know where you are going."

"I am very appreciative to the West Babylon community for its support and for giving me the opportunity to work for them as a school board trustee; it is a privilege and an honor."

In Lindenhurst, the budget passed, as well as a propostion that will limit district-wide busing next year. The transportation proposition passed 2,048 to 1,767.

Under the new bussing boundaries, students will cross major roads such as Sunrise and Montauk Highways, Straight Path and Wellwood Avenue. Kindergarten through fifth-grade students -- within three-quarters of a mile from schools -- will be walkers. Middle-school children within one mile will lose bus service and high school students who live within one and a half miles will have to find alternate transportation.

"People are annoyed it passed," said Valerie McKenna, past PTA president at Rall Elementary School. "They are all Googling their houses to see if they will lose bus service."

McKenna is collecting signatures to request a vote on a new referendum, to reverse the decision. She needs two percent of the voting population, or about 80 signatures to start the process. She hopes the school board will be sympathetic to pleas to allow the community to revote as soon as possible.

"The taxpayers only save $55" (a year) through this proposition, she explained. "Parents want their children safe, and a lot of people thought the language was ambiguous and believed they voted for bus service," said McKenna.

"Parents are calling me like crazy (to complain about the proposition)," said Neil Lederer, superintendent of Lindenhurst schools.

To ensure the safety of children, Lederer plans to meet with elementary school principals about monitoring children, trafficflowand security. He will also meet with police to request crossing guards to help students cross heavily trafficked roads.