Mineola Union Free School District residents have voted in a $110 million budget proposal, re-elected Trustee Cheryl Lampasona to another three-year term and established a capital reserve fund with no tax impact.
Residents voted in the budget with 80% of 855 total votes while the capital reserve fund establishment was also passed with 80% of 810 total votes.
The new budget is $110,006,200 for the 2022–2023 fiscal year with a zero percent tax levy increase for the second year in a row. Between the current budget and the new one, there is a 1.62% decrease in spending.
Curricular enhancements that come with the budget include the continuing expansion of social and emotional learning, launching the Synergy program and supporting the renewal of K-6 math expressions programs, among others.
Part of the facility and equipment upgrades involve brick pointing, ceiling replacement, flooring and other district repairs along with new bleachers at Hampton Field, new furniture for Synergy and technology infrastructure upgrades.
Included is a $9 million transfer to capital for districtwide purposes, including work on the middle-school gymnasium, Hampton Street student bathrooms, Willis Avenue upgrades and security camera upgrade, among others.
As for the capital reserve fund, the district previously said in a community release they are “seeking permission to establish a capital reserve fund to pay for future facilities needs.” The goal is to fund the reserve for a maximum of $20 million over the span of 12 years.
Lampasona, who’s been on the Board of Education for six years, was re-elected with 616 votes in an uncontested race. She is a New York public school teacher in Queens and in a statement thanked her supporters.
“I want to thank the Mineola school community for supporting the budget and re-electing me to continue serving you as your board trustee,” Lampasona said in a statement Wednesday morning. “I am deeply humbled by your support, and I am excited to serve the Mineola school community for another three years.”
Before her time on the board, Lampasona was on the Hampton Street School PTA where she served as president until her initial run for school board in 2016. She ran unopposed for Vice President Patricia Navarra’s seat after she stepped down.
Full-day pre-K and a dual language program up to ninth grade are a few of the accomplishments Lampasona said the district has implemented in recent years. She also has two children in the district and expects to be a trustee on the board after they graduate from high school.
“I’m on the board for everyone’s children, not just my own,” Lampasona has said. “I really do love this district and all the wonderful things we do and the accolades we get. I love seeing it come to fruition, it really is a wonderful thing.”
