BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg Free Academy district voters will be voting by mail on the 2020-21 $47.2 million budget, as well as two open seats on the school board.

Registered voters residing in the Ogdensburg City School District will receive an absentee ballot by mail and a return postage envelope to return your ballot by mail only. Absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk at Ogdensburg Free Academy, 1100 State St., Ogdensburg 13669 by 5 p.m. June 9.

Residents of the Ogdensburg City School District who did not receive an absentee ballot may request one by calling 315-393-0900, ext. 31901.

OFA will present voters with a budget of $47,200,000, representing a 4.89% ($2,200,000) increase from 2019. The tax cap is 2.39%.

The tax levy is $10,598,360, which would be an increase of $247,434.

On a $75,000 assessed home, after STAR, the increase would be $22.02/year or $1.84 per month, according to OFA Superintendent Kevin Kendall.

A public hearing will be held by the OFA Board of Education pertaining to the budget on Monday, June 1, at 6 p.m. People can watch live by visiting ogdensburgk12.org. There will be a link posted on the night of the hearing.

District residents can obtain a copy of the proposed budget at ogdensburgk12.org.

Voters will also elect two people to fill vacant school board seats.

They are 5-year terms commencing on July 1, 2020 and expiring on June 30, 2025.

Here is the alphabetical list of BOE candidates, running for two open seats, five-year terms: James Bell, Renee Grizzuto (incumbent), Arlene Kiah, James LaFave, James McCarthy, David Rufa, Connor Sutton and Elizabeth Testani.

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