Riverhead school district voters approved a $159.4 million operating budget for the 2021-2022 school year today by a vote of 2,237 to 886 — 72% to 28%.
Brian Connelly was re-elected and Colin Palmer was elected to the board of education. They were the top two vote-getters in a field of six candidates, winning 1,392 and 1,309 respectively.
Vote tallies for the other candidates were:
Susan Koukounas: 1,215
Yolanda Thompson: 850
Monique Parsons: 709
Shannon Reitz: 602
Koukounas has served three terms on the school board. “I always believe change is good,” she said after the results were announced. “It’s a sign that my energy, my work should be elsewhere,” Koukounas said. “I wish the best to the new board.”
Colin Palmer said he was “genuinely surprised” by his victory. “I didn’t think I was going to win,” he said. “I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to be able to do some good for the district,” he said. “I’m ready to hit the ground running.”
“I want to thank everybody in the community for their support and all the parents who helped get the message out,” board president Laurie Downs said after the vote.
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