K-L Voters Pass Budget, Bus Prop; Harckham, Day Win Seats on Board

Tuesday night Katonah Lewisboro voters easily passed their s with 59 percent of the total votes, or 1,813 to 1,246, according to unoffical results announced Tuesday night.

The plan increases spending by $1.7 million over this year's budget, or by 1.59 percent. Tax rates are projected to increase by 1.71 percent in Bedford, 5.43 percent in Lewisboro, 7.87 percent in Pound Ridge and 7.33 percent in North Salem.

Voters also approved a $1,225,000 million referendum to purchase six 78-passenger buses, five 28-passenger vans and one wheelchair accessible van.

Board President Michael Gordon said he was delighted the community supported both propositions.

"We worked really hard to craft a budget that maintained programs and kept taxes low," he said. He said the community support may have been due to the input they were able to give during the budget development process.

"I think we involved the community on the front end with our forum and survey, so that on the back end there were no last-minute surprises," he said. Gordon also congratulated his newly elected board colleagues and said he hoped Mark Dembo, who received the fewest number of votes and did not win a board seat, would stay involved in the schools.

Janet Harckham handily won her bid for re-election, garnering 43 percent of the vote, or a total of 1,749 votes—the highest number district-wide. Charles Day received 35 percent, or 1,428 total votes, and write-in candidate Mark Dembo took in 890 votes, or 22 percent of the vote.

"I'm thrilled to be able to continue on a path of working for the children in this district," said Harckham. "I'm happy to have representation of mothers on the board. I also hope that Mark Dembo continues to stay involved—there's so much good that is going on."

A smiling Charles Day said he looked forward to a "really interesting three years."

"I think if we can try to go out into the community, as a board, in smaller groups of two and three, we can spend time talking with our different constituencies and really dispel some of the negativity going on," he said.

Reached at his home after the results were announced, Dembo said he was really pleased with the amount of support he had received in the short time he had after announcing his candidacy only two weeks ago.

"I'm disappointed, of course, but I see this as a dialogue we've opened up. I want to work more closely on district initiatives in whatever way I can," he said. "I'm also thrilled the budget and bus propositions passed, and I congratulate Janet and Charles and wish them well."

The May 17, 2011 Vote by the Numbers

Budget vote and bus proposition

School board election

By election district

Check back with Patch for comments and reactions about tonight's vote.