Heather Nellis/Recorder staff

From left, Florida town Assessor Donna Gray, Gavin Murdoch, Greater Amsterdam School District outgoing Board of Education member Paula Hawkins and Leon “Skip” Gray are pictured at the district’s Central Administration Building Tuesday night when the results of the school budget vote were announced. Murdoch and Gray were elected to the school board by voters Tuesday.

GASD budget OK'd

By HEATHER NELLIS Recorder News Staff The Greater Amsterdam School District's $58.3 million budget for the 2012-13 school year was approved by voters Tuesday, and Gavin Murdoch and Leon "Skip" Gray were elected to the school board for respective three-year terms. Though the proposed budget was approved by an unofficial tally of 883-673, two propositions failed that sought to purchase two school buses and fund a $5,000 levy in support of the Fort Hunter Fre ...

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F-F plan fails

Staff reports FONDA -- For the first time since 1999, voters in the Fonda-Fultonville Central School District defeated a proposed school budget for the coming year on Tuesday, and they did so resoundingly. By a vote of 787 to 596, Fonda-Fultonville residents voted against the $24.19 million budget that included an 7.96 tax levy increase. For Fonda-Fultonville Superintendent James Hoffman, the news was just short of devastating. "While I'm not happy with th ...

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Budget is nearly complete

By CHARLIE KRAEBEL Recorder Editor According to the Amsterdam City Charter, Tuesday was the last day the city could hold a public hearing on the next fiscal year budget. However, no public hearing took place because there isn't even a proposed budget yet. City Controller Ron Wierzbicki said during Tuesday's Common Council meeting that he hopes to have a spending plan to city officials by the end of today at the earliest, although he indicated afterward it ...

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Council adopts golf course rates; approves road work in Amsterdam

By CHARLIE KRAEBEL Recorder Editor The Amsterdam Common Council may change the time of year when it adopts rates for the city's municipal golf course. The council formally approved the rates Tuesday, although some concerns were raised because golf season doesn't run parallel to the city's fiscal year, which starts July 1. The Amsterdam course opened several weeks ago. No changes were made to the rates, although people who want to use empty cart spaces will ...

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Former Canajoharie school up for sale

By HEATHER NELLIS Recorder News Staff FONDA -- As originally scheduled, the former West Hill Elementary School in Canajoharie will be for sale today at Montgomery County's foreclosure auction, the Board of Supervisors Finance Committee decided Tuesday, despite a reported effort from village officials and the Arkell Foundation to get the historic structure off the block. The three-parcel property, which was owned by Brooklyn resident George Czachor before i ...

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Parent of St. Johnsville student sues district

By HEATHER NELLIS Recorder News Staff FONDA -- The parent of a St. Johnsville Middle School student sued the school district on behalf of his child Friday, seeking damages in conjunction to an alleged assault at a school dance that was held in September 2011. Gloversville Attorney Robert Abdella, representing Jason Dillenbeck of St. Johnsville and Dillenbeck's child, filed the lawsuit in Montgomery County Court, which alleges the school district failed to ...

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