TOWN OF TUSTEN, NY — A Tusten Town Board meeting on Tuesday, May 12 oversaw discussion of school budget increases and conversation about battery storage centers in the town.

Dr. Kathleen Bressler, superintendent of Sullivan West, addressed the board with discussion of what the school district has accomplished this year, such as keeping driver’s ed during the school day, keeping kindergarten through second-grade classes small and keeping enrollment steady.

Bressler then concluded that the district would be proposing a $44 million budget, which is a two-percent increase from last year’s proposed budget.

“We are not going to ask our community for any more than we need,” she said.

She explained that the budget increase is due to health insurance cost increases, and that it will allow the district to keep already existing programs in place.

The vote for the proposed school budget took place on Tuesday, May 19 at the Western Sullivan Public Library. The budget passed, according to preliminary results announced by the district. 

Trunk or Treat

A representative from the Tusten Youth Commission then sought out a motion for approval of a 2026 Trunk or Treat in the Tusten Multigenerational Park.

The event will end at 9 p.m., and, unlike last year, there will be a haunted house this year.

The motion was passed by the board.

Battery storage centers

After the agenda was addressed, the meeting opened up for board comment. 

Council member Kevin McDonough said that he had just had a conversation about battery storage centers. These storage centers are different from data centers, as they store wind and solar energy, not data storage drives. In Albany, McDonough said, the New York State legislature had just passed the Rapid Act, which would override local zoning and put up the centers “lickety-split.”

“It doesn’t matter if we say no in our zoning; if they want it, they will side-step and put it in,” town supervisor Ben Johnson said.

These centers can be flammable and potentially burn down brownstones if put near residential areas, McDonough added. 

“I just wanted to raise the issue—something new to be frightened about,” he joked.

The next town board meeting is Tuesday, June 9.