In a 730 to 513 vote Tuesday night, the residents of the City of Glen Cove voted down the proposed bond that would have allowed the school district to borrow up to $13.9 million for repairs. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aronstein told the Record Pilot that he now sees "many question marks" ahead.

The superintendent said that the board of education will meet in order to make a determination on the next step for the district's financial future.

He said that roughly $2.6 million in repairs will be needed within the next 12 months for damaged roofs and a faulty boiler. However, to go through a second referendum this year, he added, might not be the best decision. As the time draws near for the district to prepare its budget, he said having another referendum on the table with an unknown outcome could make it difficult to plan. The superintendent said it could become a "slippery slope."

Nevertheless, Dr. Aronstein said it would be "irresponsible" to ignore the necessary roof and boiler repairs, which could lead to a serious problem in the short term for housing students.

Dr. Aronstein said that the district is likely to face a cut in aid from New York State, but there is talk of potential federal aid on the horizon. In a "state of flux" at the moment, the district will wait to see what comes of these two prospects and in a few weeks will present its preliminary budget proposal. That draft will undergo a series of changes until it goes to vote in May.

Aronstein noted that a key factor in the referendum results might have been the poor voter turnout. He said the average turnout is around 2,500 to 3,000 people. This vote involved only 1,243 residents.