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East Hampton High School
The East Hampton Board of Education unanimously adopted a proposed $76,502,823 budget for the 2022-23 school year Tuesday night, April 12.
“We work really, really hard to maintain our current programs and we kept our present staffing levels,” Superintendent Adam Fine said. “We were very, very lucky — even though it was pretty tight — that [Assistant Superintendent for Business] Sam [Schneider] came in halfway through the game and brought us over the finish line.”
The district will host a budget hearing on May 3 at 6:30 p.m., and the budget vote and trustee election will be May 17 from 1 to 8 p.m. in the high school board of education room.
Applications for absentee ballots will be handed out beginning Monday, April 18.
District Clerk Kerri Stevens said COVID-19 is still a reason for a resident to request an absentee ballot, should someone not want to vote in-person. The deadline for a ballot to be mailed in, Stevens said, is May 10, and in-person, May 16.
Voter information is also available on the district website, ehufsd.org.
The board also unanimously approved the hiring of Athletic Director Kathy Masterson.
Masterson — who will begin a three-year probationary period July 1 and be paid an initial salary of $190,000 — has worked for the Westhampton Beach School District for the past 23 years, serving as athletic director the last 16.
“It gives me great pleasure to make this recommendation,” Fine said Tuesday. “This was one of our most extensive searches as a district that we went through.”
The superintendent said the search to replace 15-year, retiring athletic director Joe Vasile-Cozzo began three months ago. Interviews were held with four unique committees, led by Fine, Assistant Superintendent Timothy Fromm, high school Principal Sara Smith and the Board of Education, and also included the Booster Club, student-athletes, coaches, teachers, staff members, administration, union leadership and the district’s physical education and health coordinator.
“One of the things we asked of Adam is to do an extensive search,” board President J.P. Foster said. “We wanted to make sure everyone was heard — we had great options — and we all feel really good about this. I’m ecstatic.”
Vasile-Cozzo said, “Kathy’s one of the best in Section,” referring to Section XI, the governing body of Suffolk County sports, “so I’m really happy she’s taking over.”
He handed Masterson her first Bonackers hat, and he congratulated her as the room erupted in applause.
“We were so excited to have you,” board member Jackie Lowey said. “We told Adam he couldn’t come back until you accepted the job.”
The superintendent also said the affordable housing committee met last week.
The South Fork Commuter Connection service was a large topic of discussion, as was land and building options in the town.
“As a committee, we are sending the town a memo as to what we’re working on, and letting them know this is still very important to us,” Fine said.
In partnership with state Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., the superintendent said the district is also crafting a letter in support of Friday availability of the Commuter Connection service throughout the summer.
