BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, May 17, to vote on budgets, elections and propositions at all St. Lawrence County schools.

Below is a summary by district of budget information, special propositions and school board candidates.

Massena Central School

Massena Central School District’s $63.8 million budget will go before voters May 17. The budget keeps the tax levy flat. The amount raised by taxpayers will be $15,380,632.

The Massena budget includes a bus purchase not to exceed $512,500, and a capital outlay project.

Massena Central School has two open board seats to be voted on. These are 5-year terms beginning July 1, 2022. The candidates are Sarah Boyce, Christopher Castell, Kristy Baker, Daniel Tusa, Susan Lambert and Zachary Monroe. Incumbents Loren Fountain and David LaClair Jr. are not running again.

Voting will be held at the Massena Community Center, 61 Beach St., from noon to 8 p.m.

Ogdensburg City School District

Ogdensburg City School District voters will determine the fate of Ogdensburg’s $53,537,655 budget which will have no increase on the $10,598,360 tax levy.

Proposition two will ask voters to approve a capital reserve fund not to exceed $10 million. The money can be used for a variety of expenses.

Voters will also be asked to decide on a capital project that will improve traffic flow and upgrade a playground at John F. Kennedy Elementary school. The maximum cost is not to exceed $3 million.

Ogdensburg school has two five-year terms from July 1, 2022 until June 30, 2027. Incumbents Craig A. Lalonde and Vicky May Peo are facing no competition.

Voting will be from noon to 9 p.m. at the Ogdensburg Free Academy Golden Dome.

Canton Central School

Canton Central School District’s $34,805,724 budget for 2022-23 will raise taxes by 2.96 percent with new staff expected.

If approved by voters, the budget will result in a $304,290 jump in the tax levy bringing the total amount to be raised by taxes to $10,758,792.

Total spending is up 5.13% from last year's $33,107,411. She said the district anticipates state aid to total $20,015,046 which is a 4.08% increase over the prior year.

Separately, the district is seeking voter approval for the purchase of three buses at a cost not to exceed $435,000.

The fourth proposition is for the Canton Free Library’s Proposition

There are three open seats, each for a three-year term. There is also one open seat for a 1-year term to replace a member that is leaving early. Kate Halleron Murphy is resigning, effective June 17. The candidates with the most votes will get the longer terms. Listed candidates are incumbent Robert Larrabee, as well as newcomers Jessica Sierk and Denise Sero.

Potsdam Central School

Potsdam Central School will see a 4% tax levy hike for the 2022-23 school year, up by more than half a million dollars above the previous year. The increase in the tax levy is $572,743 bringing the total to $14.74 million in property taxes.

The total PCS budget for 2022-23 is $36,589,182, an increase of 2.16% over 2021-22.

Voters will also be asked to approve the purchase of four buses.

Potsdam Central has three open seats, all three-year terms. The listed candidates are incumbents J. Ralph Fuller and Rachel M.H. Wallace, along with Patrick Turbett. Board member Deborah Shipp’s name is not on the ballot.

Norwood-Norfolk Central

Norwood-Norfolk Central School’s $25,973,407 budget increases spending by 4.6% in 2022-23, but includes no increase to the tax levy for the fourth consecutive year.

Cruikshank said that currently, the district full value tax rate is the lowest it's been since the 2003-2004 school year.

NNCS will see about 72% of its budget covered by state and federal aid.

There are five propositions at the budget vote on May 17.

Proposition two is for the purchase of three buses, not to exceed $362,000.

Proposition three is creating a capital reserve for vehicles.

The fourth proposition is for capital reserve for equipment. Similar to proposition three, this will allow the district to save for future expenses.

The fifth proposition will see the election of board of education members.

Norwood-Norfolk school has three open seats on the board, each for a three-year term. There are three open seats and the three candidates are incumbents. They are Suzanne Fiacco, Artie Frego and Mary Ellen Todd.

Brasher Falls Central

Taxpayers in the district will vote on the school’s $27,806,564 2022-23 budget which will see a 1.5% tax levy increase that raises $5,365,223,934.

Also on the ballot will be a proposition to purchase three buses with a final cost to the district around $34,912.

Brasher Falls Central has two open seats, both five-year terms. This year’s candidates Abdo Bejjani and Teresa Rios Passon are both incumbents.

Voting takes place from noon to 8 p.m. in the middle school gym.

Clifton-Fine Central

Clifton-Fine Central School will present taxpayers with an $11,483,640 2022-23 budget that sees taxpayers raise $4,375,500 for the district.

Clifton-Fine has four seats open on the school board this year. Three of the seats are a three-year terms and will start July 1, 2022 and expire June 30, 2025. One seat is to fill the vacancy of Jeremy Thompson, who was filling a seat. The term starts May 18, 2022 and expires June 30, 2024. The candidates include incumbents Roger Benjamin and Nicole Curry, as well as newcomers Judy Benzel and Emerson Northrop. Current board member Walt Todd is not seeking reelection.

Voting takes place from noon to 8 p.m. in the main lobby.

Colton-Pierrepont Central

District voters here will vote on a $11,547,150 budget that includes a 2.59% tax levy increase that raises $8,043,159 for the school.

The Colton-Pierrepont Central School District Board of Education proposes and seeks voter approval to purchase one school bus for the sum of $127,054.29 with funds currently held in the Colton-Pierrepont Central School District’s Capital Reserve Fund. The bus will be purchased and the expenditure from the Capital Reserve Fund will be made during the 2022-2023 school year.

Colton-Pierrepont school has two seats open, both are four-year terms. Incumbents Alex Bonno and Cindy McLean are the only two candidates on the ballot.

Taxpayers can vote in the school auditorium lobby from noon to 8 p.m.

Edwards-Knox Central

Edwards-Knox Central School District voters will determine the fate of the school’s $16,889,182 budget for 2022-23 which does not raise the tax levy and will generate $1,985,312 for the district.

Voters will also be asked to approve the purchase of two buses.

Edwards-Knox Central has two open seats, each for a five-year term. Edwards school did not receive any petitions back, so all votes will be by write-in only for their two open seats. Derek LaPoint will not seek reelection. Lynn Collier, who was filling a vacated seat, will also not seek reelection.

There will be a proposition to create a capital reserve fund.

Voting is from noon to 8 p.m. in the main gymnasium.

Gouverneur Central

Voters in the district will decide on the schools $41,114,279 2022-23 budget that will see a 1.5% tax levy increase that raises $6,787,112 for the district.

Proposition 2 asks taxpayers to approve the Richville Free Library funding amount by $4,350, which is in addition to $73,050.

Proposition 3 will ask voters to approve having a student member on the board of education. A student is already on the board and this would be a continuation.

Gouverneur Central School will have three open seats. The two candidates listed are incumbents Dr. William Cartwright and Naaman Lowry. Board member Lisa McGregor is not seeking reelection.

Voting takes place in the high school auditorium from noon to 8 p.m.

Hammond Central School

Voters in Hammond Central School District will be asked to approve a $9,197,749 budget for the 2022-23 school year that raises $3,844,694 for the district.

Hammond Central has two open seats. Announced candidates include incumbent Viviana Wilmot and newcomer Katie Rogers. Theodore Elk is not seeking reelection.

Voters can cast their vote in the school cafeteria from 1:30-8 p.m.

Harrisville Central School

The Harrisville Central School District is presenting voters with an 11,321,461 2022-23 budget that will raise the tax levy 1.8% and raise $4,099,729 for the district.

Voters will be asked to approve a proposition for the purchase of new school buses, as well as approve a Harrisville Free Library Tax Collection of $5,000.

Harrisville school has one board of education seat open and it is a five-year term. The only listed candidate is incumbent Parish Atkinson.

Voters can cast their ballot in the school auditorium from 1-8 p.m.

Hermon-DeKalb Central

The Hermon-DeKalb Central School District is presenting voters with a $13,557,412 2022-23 budget that will increase the tax levy 1.9% while raising $2,664,018 for the district.

Voters will be asked to approve a proposition for the purchase of new school buses, as well approve a capital reserve fund proposition.

Hermon-DeKalb Central School has three seats open. Two of them are five-year terms and the third is a two-year term. Candidates running this year include incumbents Jordan Deleel, Michael MacCue, as well as newcomers Marty Amo, Dale O’Donnell and John Wright.

Voters can cast their ballot in the main lobby and cafeteria area from 1-8 p.m.

Heuvelton Central School

Heuvelton Central School District voters will vote on a $15,446,307 2022-23 budget that will see a 2.22% tax levy increase that raises $3,808,084 for the district.

Heuvelton Central School has two incumbent seats and one board member moved out of the area, so there are two five-year terms for the highest vote getters and one two-year term to fill the unexpired term for the third highest vote getter. The candidates are newcomer Jacqueline Bill, and incumbents Andrew Martin and Christopher Riordan.

Voting is from 1-8 p.m. in the Poulton Auditorium.

Lisbon Central School

Voters in the Lisbon school district will be asked to approve a $16,013,511 school budget for the 2022-23 that includes a 2% tax levy increase and raises $3,907,919 for the district.

Lisbon Central has one five-year term. Running this year are Nancy Addison and Christiana Navan are running to replace a seat held by Scott Walker, who is not seeking reelection.

Voting takes place from 1-9 p.m. in the main lobby.

Madrid-Waddington Central

Voters in the Madrid-Waddington School District will determine the fate of the $19,379,011 2022-23 budget that includes a tax levy increase of 2.5% and raises $4,730,251 for the district

Voters will be asked to approve the purchase of two buses.

Madrid-Waddington Central School has two seats open. One of them is a full five-year term. The other is a two-year term. Candidates include incumbent Amber Sullivan, and Robert Smith. Board member Brian Hammond is not seeking re-election.

Lastly, voters will be asked to approve a $100,000 capital outlay project for work related to removing older windows and some minor upgrades.

The vote is set for 1-8 p.m. in the school auditorium.

Morristown Central School

Voters in the district here will be asked to approve an 11,105,967 $10,953,442 budget for the 2021-22 school year that includes a 2.59% tax levy increase and raises $4,043,230 toward the budget.

Morristown Central has three open seats, each for a three-year term. Candidates include Ruth Anne Barkley and Dr. Lawrence Kring III. Darrell Merkel is not seeking reelection.

Voters can cast their ballot in the school’s main lobby from noon to 8 p.m.

Parishville-Hopkinton Central

Voters in the district here will be asked to approve a $12,913,484 budget for the 2022-23 school year that includes a 2.9% tax levy increase and raises $4,282,178 for the district.

Parishville-Hopkinton school has three seats on their board open. Two are five-year terms and one is for two years and two months. The person who gets the third highest votes will fill the two-year term, while the two highest vote-getters will earn the five-year terms. Jeffrey Yette is an incumbent and also running are Cassie Hayes and Timothy Zellweger.

Voting is set for 1-8 p.m. in the school auditorium.