NEW BERLIN – The Unadilla Valley Board of Education will meet tomorrow night to discuss options following the failure of the 2012-13 budget to pass by a 60 percent margin.

According to Superintendent Robert Mackey, the board will discuss whether they will present the same budget or a new budget to be voted on June 19. Another option, he said, would be for the board to make a motion to adopt a contingency budget immediately.

“We’ve talked all along about a contingency budget ... which would eliminate all optional programs such as sports and clubs,” said Mackey. “We’ve asked the voters if they don’t want those things, to let us know.”

Mackey said another option would be to appropriate more reserves, which would cover the cost of optional programs and keep the school from being “educationally bankrupt.” But he warned that doing so would “get us closer to the point where we don’t have reserves to pull from.”

“How I’m approaching it now is I’m trying to find any way I can to present options to reduce spending that won’t further lay off staff or hurt kids,” he said, regarding options to keep sports and clubs available for students. “But we’re reaching a limit of how much more I can do without hurting kids directly.”

Mackey said exit polls in Tuesday’s vote revealed startling conclusions. Of the 72 people who voted no and filled out exit polls, 41 wrote they wanted to see the board focus more on programs that would increase spending, such as electives and half-day programs for 2-3 year olds.

“It makes you wonder if they were just misinformed or what happened,” he said.

“I’ve invited the Governor to come and explain why their budget can pass at the expense of our students’ sports and clubs ... he needs to put his money where his mouth is and be the advocate for students that he says he is,” said Mackey. “He doesn’t understand what rural, poor schools are going through and he won’t until he lives and see it.”

Tammie Emrich of Columbus and Jason Gray of New Berlin were elected to the two empty board seats, with 289 and 276 votes respectively.

AFTON

The Afton Central School District Budget of $15,181,775 passed with a vote of 171 to 114 Tuesday. Also passed was a proposition for the purchase of two new school buses in the amount of $211,197, with a vote of 166 to 116; and incumbent Margery Secrest was re-elected to serve another term on the Afton School Board.

BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School District voted to pass their budget 393-148. The proposition to acquire an additional school bus also passed 366-148. Charlie Blincoe and Jason Fleming of Guilford, and Brenda Parsons of Bainbridge, were elected to the empty board seats.

GREENE

The proposed Greene School budget of $23,676,294 passed yesterday, by a vote of 330 to 77. Additionally, residents voted in favor of the library proposition, 278 to 147; and two incumbents, Richard Boeltz and James Strenkert, each who ran unopposed for a seat on the school board, were re-elected to serve another term.

NORWICH