Serving Manhasset, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Plandome and Flower Hill
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Friday, May 17, 2024
Vol. 12, No. 20
LIVING 50+
HERRICKS TO BOND $35M DEMS CLAIM SECRET SEX CRIMES SETTLEMENTS MILITIA MEETINGS
PAGES 23-26
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Manhasset to vote on $111M budget
ALADDIN JR.
School ballot features 3 newcomers vying for 2 ed board trustee seats Manhasset residents will head to the polls Tuesday to vote in the Manhasset School District election, which features a slate of new trustee candidates and the district’s $111.3 million budget. Manhasset Board of Education Vice President Jill Pullano and Trustee Erin Royce are not seeking re-election to the board this May, with three newcomers joining the race for the two open board member seats. Running for the two seats on the board are Eileen Bauer, Marianna Bruno and Maria Pescatore. Voters can vote for any two of the three candidates or write-in candidates. The two board seats are for a threeyear term, which would begin on July 1 and end on June 30, 2027. Efforts to solicit comment from the two exiting board members and the three candidates were unavailing. Both Pullano and Royce, who are longtime parents in the district, were elected to the board in 2021 when they defeated challenger Frank Bua and the 15-year-incumbent trustee Carlo Prinzo. Newcomer Bauer serves as Halloween Committee Co-chair for the Manhasset SCA Middle School Parent
Council. No other information on Bauer was available. Bruno is a medical professional with a background in pharmacy, public health, health policy and management. She has four children in the school district, according to her campaign page. Background information on Bruno also came fromthe Manhasset School Community Association website. She has served as class representative for multiple years and currently is the representative for fifth grade. She is also the chair of the SCA’s Fall Luncheon Committee. According to Bruno’s election website, she is campaigning on maintaining academic excellence and transparency, being a voice for students, parents and teachers, fostering community spirit and engagement, and fiscal responsibility. “Education is a key to success in life and is an integral component to help communities thrive. When students’ educational needs are supported at multiple levels, it strengthens the entire community,” Bruno wrote on her campaign website. “Maintaining and elevating areas for academic and extracurricular excellence in the Manhasset schools at all grade levels is vitally important to prepare our students to meet the increasing demands of the future.” Continued on Page 37
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANAHASSET SCHOOLS
The Manhasset Secondary School middle school theatre program performs Aladdin Jr.
Manhasset ed board votes to cut 14 jobs BY C A M E RY N O A K ES The Manhasset Board of Education voted Tuesday night to eliminate 14 teaching assistant positions as part of its adopted 2024-2025
BEST
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COUNTY WWW.THEISLAND360.COM/CONTEST2024
budget. The district adopted a $111,286,207 budget on April 16, encompassing a 3.3% budget-tobudget increase and a 2.68% tax increase. It is set to face a community
vote on May 21. “The budget has been very challenging to formulate,” Passi said. “And the reason that it was challenging to formulate is because we Continued on Page 44
LAST WEEK TO VOTE! VOTING ENDS MAY 24 WINNERS ANNOUNCED JULY 5, 2024! https://theisland360.com/bonscontest/