Two incumbent trustees on the East Williston School District’s Board of Education, David Keefe and Tasneem Meghji, were re-elected on Tuesday.
The district’s adopted $66.3 million budget for the 2022-23 school year also passed 710-265. The budget is an increase of more than 3.5% over last year. The tax levy also increased, rising to $58.1 million, or .68%, from the 2021-22 adopted budget.
A proposition to authorize the district to undertake projects from the 2019 Capitol Project Reserve Fund was also passed, 817-154. The projects will include North Side roof replacement, HVAC repair and installation along with renovations to the Wheatley auditorium and science lab.
Keefe and Meghji received 590 and 585 votes, respectively. Meghji’s opponent, Andrea Golub, got 408 votes, while Keefe’s opposition, Ellie Konstantatos, received 401 votes.
Before being elected to the board in 2020, Meghji served on the Educational Advisory Committee for the East Williston schools, which advises the board and the district on educational initiatives. Meghji was elected to fill the seat on the board left vacant by Alan Littman.
Meghji said in a phone interview that her experience developing the budget for the past two years and helping guide the district through the coronavirus pandemic showed why she would continue to be a valuable asset on the board.
“I’ve always volunteered and running for school board was just a natural progression of my passion for volunteering in the school district,” Meghji said. “I feel like continuing to serve, I will be much more valuable than having a new trustee who has to learn how school districts work.”
Meghji touted the fact that roughly 3% of the increase to the district’s $66.3 million budget would be covered by their capital reserve fund rather than asking taxpayers to fund it all, resulting in an overall increase.
Keefe was elected to his fourth term on the board in 2019 in an uncontested race. Keefe has served on the board since 2010 and never run in a contested race until this year.
He has served on multiple boards for decades, including state and local committees. Keefe taught in Hempstead for about 40 years and was the union president in Hempstead for 30 years.
