BERNE — After years of eking out wins, and sometimes facing budget defeats, Berne-Knox-Westerlo saw its $22.6 million budget for next year pass by a landslide on Tuesday.

Seventy-three percent — 418 out of 674 voters — said “yes” to the spending plan that will increase the tax levy by half of a percent. Similarly, 75 percent voted in favor of a proposition that will buy four new buses.

Waiting for the results Tuesday night, Superintendent Timothy Mundell, shepherding through his first BKW budget, tapped his fingers on the table. Next to him, Sarah Blood, the district’s business manager, also waited to hear the results on her first BKW budget.

Both said they’d share their thoughts after the tallies were read.

“Awesome!” shouted Mundell as he pumped his fist.

“Elated,” rejoined Blood as she leapt to her feet.

The two embraced as handshakes and hugs were exchanged among the dozen or so onlookers.

In a three-way race for two school board seats, the current board president, Joan Adriance, was ousted; she garnered 246 votes. Matthew Tedeschi, who was just elected to the board in February, got the most votes — 431. And Susan Kendall Schanz, making her first run for the board, came in second with 343 votes.

“I’m very happy,” said Tedeschi after the unofficial results were announced. “I’m glad to get back to work. We need to keep moving forward.”

Tedeschi, a 1990 graduate of BKW, returned to Westerlo after college and, with his wife, raised two daughters there, also BKW graduates. He said during the campaign that he’d like to restore programs that had been cut in recent years, and that his experience working in the insurance industry could benefit the district.

“I’m truly excited,” said Schanz after the results were announced. “I’ve been to a lot of board meetings.”

A 1971 alumna of the district, Schanz grew up on a Hilltown farm. An Army veteran, she currently works for the state’s tax department. She said she got a good education at BKW and wants to make sure her grandchildren do, too. During her campaign, she also emphasized the importance of communication.

Adriance served on the school board from 2003 to 2008 and then was elected again three years ago. She was not at the school Tuesday night to hear election results. During a candidates’ forum last week, Adriance, who works in information technology, said she represented stability in a district that has seen massive turnover in administrators in recent years.

“I congratulate all the candidates for a race well run,” said Mundell on Tuesday night. He said of Adriance, “Joan has served eight years…We appreciate her service.”

Why

Asked about the reasons for the budget’s popularity, Blood said, “We worked hard and listened to the community on their wants and needs.”

School leaders presented the budget at a series of community forums across the Hilltowns. Also, in developing the budget, Blood surveyed staff members on their wants and needs.

At the same time, Blood said earlier, district leaders got ideas on the budget from a community forum and from the Budget Advisory Committee.

“I enjoyed working with the community,” said Blood. “I appreciate the staff and their input. It helped us understand their needs so we can be more successful in the future.”

Mundell gave more reasons for the budget’s popularity. “We’re offering new programs and reducing reliance on the fund balance,” he said.

BKW is getting $9.75 million in state aid, covering less than half of its expenses. The district will use $1.3 million from its reserves, which total about $6 million altogether. For the current year, to avoid increasing taxes, BKW drew $1.5 million from its reserves.

Most of the rest of the revenues will come from local property taxes. Blood had said earlier the increase would be about 11 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

The $358,932 bus proposition will buy two 66-passenger buses, one 22-passenger bus, and a bus that will accommodate wheelchairs. BKW gets 60.5 percent back in state aid on bus purchases.

Mundell said on Tuesday night, “We’re using our state aid wisely.” BKW got about $406,000 over this year’s allocation, which it will use for one-time expenses like resurfacing the track, installing new high school lockers, and removing asbestos from the elementary school’s basement.

The district also plans, after years of budget cuts, to add courses including courses on the history of the Helderbergs and the history of sports, Latin through distance learning and college-level Spanish, construction math, college-level government, an agricultural science program, and an elementary writing program.

“We have something for every segment of the community,” said Mundell.