OBSERVER Photo by Anthony Dolce The Fredonia Middle School Service Learning Club held a fundraiser during Tuesday’s budget vote, selling meals provided by the Catering Company of WNY, which also donated a $200 gift certificate. The Service Learning Club takes part in community service projects, while raising money that is donated to local community organizations. For Tuesday’s project, they let the public vote on which organization should receive the funds.

There were no major surprises in Tuesday’s school budget votes.

Influxes of state and federal money helped all local budgets whose results were available by the OBSERVER’s press deadline to pass. Results from around the region include:

¯ Brocton — voters approved the $17,837,480 budget by a 115-38 vote. The budget increases spending $881,043 (5.2%) and the tax levy by $231,760 to $5,061,707 (.57% increase). District officials said the majority of the increase comes from debt service for the recently completed first phase of its capital project, with phase 2 expected to be completed this fall. The district is also looking to add a school resource officer this year. There are also three candidates running for two seats on the school board: Michael Rigorgiato received 100 votes and Rosanne Chesbro received 84 votes to earn seats on the board. Nicole Klinger received 63 votes.

¯ Cassadaga Valley — a $24,713,411 budget that increases spending by $769,514 to $5,456,713 was approved by voters, 87-29.

The budget includes a $100,000 capital outlay project, increases spending on technology for students. Diane Ellsworth and Marcus Clark are running for two seats on the school board. Voters also approved a $377,526 proposition by an 87-27 vote to purchase a 60-passenger school bus that will be financed, a 42-passenger school bus with a wheelchair lift to be purchased with reserve funds, a 24-passenger school bus with a wheelchair lift to be paid for with reserve funds and a 5- to 7-passenger transportation vehicle to be purchased with reserve funds.

¯ Chautauqua Lake — voters approved $23,600,585 budget that increases spending $398,238 with a tax levy of $12,493,744, an increase of $177,356 (1.44%), by a 224-63 vote. In a close race for two Board of Education seats, Michael Ludwig (199 votes) and Amy Webb (182 votes) were elected with Mary Lee Talbot (162 votes) finishing third.

¯ Dunkirk — the proposed $51,413,792 budget increases spending $1,655,057 (3.33%) while increasing taxes $199,333 (2%) to $10,165,975. Voters approved the budget by a 171-75 vote. Loretta Slaton Torain was the top vote-getter for the Board of Education with 201 votes and Claudia Szczerbacki received 194 votes.

¯ Forestville — voters approved the budget, which increases spending 1.21% to $13,028,780 with a 1.29% tax levy increase to $4,089,237, by an 83-30 vote. There is also a $123,441.11 proposition to purchase two buses on the ballot that was approved by a 90-23 vote. Michelle Merritt received 83 votes and Andrera Spengler received 77 votes to be elected to the district Board of Education.

¯ Fredonia — voters approved the $31,295,067 budget by a 493-127 vote. The budget increases spending by 2.05%, while the proposed tax levy of $16,219,949 is unchanged. The Wheelock Elementary School will implement a program called Parents as Teachers, which aims to increase school readiness and parent engagement. An additional full-time elementary teachers will help the district bring all students back to in-person instruction while maintaining social distancing and decreasing fourth grade class sizes. A half-time physical education teacher was added as well. The district is also adding an additional middle school counselor. Five candidates ran for three seats on the Board of Education. Courtney Gullo (416 votes), Aaron Marshall (335 votes) and Sheila Starkey Hahn (296 votes) were elected while Jillian Domenico received 267 votes and Marieanne Fabiano received 256 votes.

¯ Gowanda — voters approved the $34,098,646 budget by a 254-59 vote. The budget cuts spending by .58% while increasing property taxes 1.2% to $5,157,994. Additional spending is being directed into special education, career and technical education and extended day and summer programs. Voters also had four candidates for three positions on the school board. Max Graham received 251 votes, Dollene Christopher received 204 votes and candidates Jill Smith and Shauna McMahon finished tied for third. Voters approved a propositions to purchase a 30-passenger school bus and two 66-passenger school buses for $301,642.50 by a 284-29 vote and a proposition to establish a $5 million Transportation Reserve Fund to pay for future school vehicles by 263-48 vote.

¯ Pine Valley — voters approved the budget by a 95-30 vote. Spending will increase $674,406 to $16,437,677, though the proposed tax levy increases only $33,766 to $3,410,344. Additions to the budget include salary and benefits for 3- and 4-year-old universal pre-kindergarten teachers, a special education teacher, furniture and curriculum for the universal pre-kindergarten program, two school bus purchases, a transfer to the school lunch program to offset community eligibility participation and provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, start an eSports team, unified sports programs. Administrative spending decreases by 7% while the budget for student programs increases 7.28%. Rose Kruszka (103 votes) and Darlene Silliman (112 votes) were elected to the school board, with write-in votes to determine the third at-large position on the board.

¯ Ripley — voters approved the budget by a 93-25 vote. The budget includes a $279,000 increase in spending to $9,746,366 while not increasing the district’s $1,862,971 tax levy. District officials said $200,000 of the spending increase is part of the district’s construction project and will be paid from the capital reserve. A proposition to purchase school buses was approved 90-28 while a proposition to establish a capital reserve fund was approved 89-28. Shaun Waters received 106 votes to be elected to the school board.

¯ Silver Creek — voters approved the budget by a 137-41 vote. The budget increases spending by $205,352 to $25,928,433 while cutting taxes $209,340 to $6,223,262. The budget includes a $100,000 capital outlay to provide lighting along Webster Street to accompany a new walkway installed by the village of Silver Creek and LED lighting within the building. Voters also approved a proposition to purchase two large buses and one small bus, with the purchase to be paid from the Vehicle Reserve Fund, by a 138-40 vote. Incumbent Martha Howard ran for the lone open school board seat and received 156 votes.

¯ Westfield — a $16,956,770 budget proposal was approved by a 388-104 vote. The budget increases spending by $428,431 while increasing the property tax levy by $69,676 to $6,175,602. The budget allows for equipment upgrades and new classroom technology, doesn’t cut any programs, student services or extracurricular activities. There are also four candidates running for the school board: Celia Molitor (364 votes), Phyllis Hagen (339 votes) and Deanne Manzella (337 votes) were elected while Braiden McElhaney received 240 votes.