Voters approve $40.2M budget, elect challengers over incumbents for East Rockaway Board of Education

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East Rockaway voters approved the district's $40.2 million budget for the 2019-20 school year.
East Rockaway voters approved the district's $40.2 million budget for the 2019-20 school year.
Christina Daly/Herald

Voters approved the East Rockaway School District's $40.2 million budget for 2019-20 and elected challengers Kristen O'Hagan and Peter McNally to the Board of Education over fellow challenger Theresa Devlin and incumbent Kristin Ochtera.

Voters supported the budget, 619 "yes" votes to 283 "no" votes. They also supported Proposition 2, 639 to 202, which will enable officials to use reserves to fund technology upgrades.

O'Hagan (569 votes) and McNally (532) ran together on a joint platform. Devlin (379) lost a Board of Education race for the second straight year, after losing to current Trustee Dom Vulpis in last year's election. Ochtera (366) was seeking another term after nine years serving on the board. Current Trustee Patricia Nicoletti did not run for re-election and will retire at the end of the school year.

East Rockaway's budget will see an increased emphasis on security, the creation of new courses and the continuation of its 1:1 tablet program.