Voters approve budget, bus propositions; elect two Board members

Residents of the Bethlehem Central School District have approved a $114.0 million budget for the 2024-25 school year by a margin of 2,229 to 777, or approximately 74% in favor to 26% opposed.

A bus proposition and a bus purchase reserve fund were also approved by district voters:

  • Bus purchase proposition (69% approval – 2,061 yes; 937 no)
  • Bus purchase reserve fund (70% approval – 2,081 yes; 908 no)

Voters also elected Katherine Nadeau and Lauren Grasso to the Board of Education. Nadeau and Grasso will serve three-year terms beginning July 1, 2024. Nadeau, a current member of the seven-person Board, was elected to a second term. It will be the first term for Lauren Grasso.

There were three candidates on the ballot for two open seats.

Vote results for the Board of Education election were updated Wednesday, May 22 following the review of 290 write-in ballots cast during Tuesday’s Budget Vote and Board of Education Election. The Board election results released Tuesday night were preliminary, however, the order of highest vote-getters remained unchanged following the write-in count.

The updated Board of Education election results are: 

  • Katherine Nadeau received 1,825 votes*
  • Lauren Grasso received 1,437 votes*
  • Jason MacLaughlin received 1,386 votes

There were also several individual write-in votes for candidates not listed on the ballot.

The updated results are expected to be certified by the Board of Education at its meeting on Wednesday, May 22 at the high school.