East Hampton voters came out in support of the 2026-27 school budget and three additional bond proposals that will allow the district to make major upgrades at all three of its school buildings and campuses and add an indoor pool and indoor athletic facility at the high school.
The $89.9 million budget is tax-cap compliant, with a spending increase of just under $1.8 million (2.02 percent) and a tax-levy increase of 2.22 percent. It passed 475-95. The bonds total $128 million.
"I am incredibly proud to be the superintendent of this school district," Adam Fine said Tuesday night. "I am so thankful and grateful for the community support for the budget, the bond propositions. It's really going to put this district in incredible shape for the next 20 years."
Kathy Masterson, the district's athletic director, who is retiring after this school year, was whooping with joy after the results were announced. "I'm so proud of this community for always stepping up and caring about our kids and our community because this is not just something that our kids will get to utilize but our entire community. It is a testament to East Hampton and its support of our kids and their future."
Voters also elected Kimberly Sarris Royal, a newcomer, to the school board with the most votes of any candidate, 348. Emily Agnello was re-elected with 334 votes. John Ryan Sr. received 308 votes but was not re-elected. Only the top two candidates would make the cut, filling two available board seats for a three-year term starting July 1.
Ms. Sarris was at a loss for words after the votes were announced. "I'm honored and slightly emotional." Upon leaving the school library she told Mr. Ryan that she had big shoes to fill.
The budget preserves all academic programs for prekindergarten through 12th grade, allocates funds for necessary mandatory costs, and transfers $1.23 million to replace the boiler at East Hampton Middle School.
The first bond proposition, worth $63.96 million, does not increase taxes because it will replace expiring debt with new debt. It includes district-wide structural and safety upgrades, along with a renovated auditorium, stadium lights, and outdoor bathrooms at the high school, as well as a mobile concession trailer for use throughout the district. It passed 431-130.
The second bond proposition, worth $45.68 million, funds an indoor pool with a diving board at East Hampton High School that will be available for both student instruction and public use. For an average taxpayer with an assessed home value of $6,000, the pool building will cost $203.26 a year over the next 20 years. It passed 398-211.
The third proposition, worth $18.535 million, funds an indoor athletic space with a basketball court and indoor turf field at the high school that will also be open to the community. For an average taxpayer with an assessed home value of $6,000, the indoor athletic facility will cost $82.53 a year for the next 20 years. It passed 341-226.
Todd Gulluscio, the incoming athletic director, also attended the final vote count and was thrilled about what these propositions will mean for the district's student athletes. "It's huge. It really is. To see the work and the passion and the investment the community has been putting in, but now has put in tenfold with these beautiful facilities, I'm really really excited."
In Other Districts
Budgets also sailed through in Springs, Montauk, Sagaponack, Wainscott, and Sag Harbor, where there were no contested elections.
Springs School voters gave next year's $39.06 million budget a resounding "yes," 180 to 39. The 2026-27 budget represents a 1.78-percent spending increase and a 2.25-percent increase in the tax levy. The incumbent board members, Patrick Brabant, a board member since 2017, and Katie Sarris, first elected in 2023, had no challengers and were returned to their posts for new three-year terms with 170 and 192 votes respectively.
Montauk voters overwhelmingly approved the $25.67 million budget and a proposal to create a repair reserve fund using up to $750,000 of unreserved unappropriated fund balance from this fiscal year. The budget vote was 152 to 34; the repair reserve fund had 159 saying "yes" and 27 "no." Nick Finazzo, an incumbent board member running unopposed, was returned to the board for another five-year term.
Sag Harbor's $53.56 million budget passed 367 to 85. The approved budget carries a 2.3-percent spending increase and a 2.95-percent tax-levy increase. Voters also okayed a proposition to purchase three new school buses for $385,000; 369 were in favor, 73 against. The three incumbent board members had no challengers. Sandi Kruel got 384 votes, Dan Marsili won 369, and Alex Kriegsman got 371.
In Amagansett voters supported the $14.47 million budget 93 to 8. The budge represents a 3.7-percent spending increase and a 2.61-percent increase in the tax levy. Both propositions on the ballot passed -- one to purchase a new bus with capital reserve funds (95 to 4), another to extend terms of board members from three to five years (60 to 41).
Among the board, candidates, all running unopposed, Addie Slater-Davison, the sitting board president, was the top vote-getter with 87, and Dawn Rana-Brophy received 74 votes. Joseph Lupo, who was running for the first time after being appointed to fill a vacated seat late last year, brought in 79 votes. The top two vote-getters will serve three-year terms, the lowest vote-getter -- Ms. Rana-Brophy -- will serve the the remaining two years of the term Mr. Lupo had been appointed to.
The Amagansett Library's $1.67 million budget was also approved 95 to 4.
In Wainscott, 56 people turned out to vote on Tuesday and 53 of them approved the district's $4.98 million budget, which is down .16 percent from this year's and carries no increase in the tax levy. The district expects to have 17 students in-house in the 2026-27 school year in prekindergarten through third grade. Older children are sent to either the East Hampton, Sag Harbor, or Bridgehampton Schools. David Eagan, an incumbent board member (and board president) first elected in 2004, ran unopposed to keep his seat and received 50 votes.
Sagaponack had only nine people turn out to vote Tuesday evening. Eight okayed the $2.02 million budget and one voted against it. Spending will decrease by 3.13 percent next year. The districts expects to have 18 to 19 students in prekindergarten through third grade at its little red schoolhouse, and pays tuition to send its older students to East Hampton, Bridgehampton, or Sag Harbor. Alexandra Lopez, a first-time candidate, was unanimously elected to the one open seat. She will serve a three-year term, replacing Thomas Schultz, the current board president, who opted not to run for re-election.
With Reporting by Carissa Katz and Leigh Goodstein