Public hearing for the 2026-2027 budget and board member election.

LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, ANNUAL BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION COOPERSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing on the proposed 2026-2027 Budget for the C ooperstown Central School District shall be held in the library of the Jr./Sr. High School, located at 39 Linden Ave. Cooperstown, NY 13326, on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 6:00 P.M., prevailing time. The budget will be available for review beginning May 4, 2026, at the District Office. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the annual meeting of the qualified voters of the Cooperstown Central School District will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between the hours of 11:00 AM and 8:00 PM, prevailing time, in the Sterling auditorium of the Jr. Sr. High School Building, located at 39 Linden Ave. Cooperstown, NY 13326, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by machine and absentee ballot on the following items: 1. 2026-2027 BUDGET To adopt the annual budget of the Cooperstown Central School District for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to authorize the requisite portion therefore to be raised by taxation on the taxable property on the District. 2. ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBER SEATS To elect two (2) members of the Board of Education for a three (3) year term, commencing on July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Christopher Franck and Lynne Mebust. Voting for the board vacancies, and the 2026/2027 school budget will take place between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Sterling Auditorium. Voting will be by voting machine, absentee ballot or early voter ballot. 3.ADOPTION OF PROPOSITIONS Proposition #1 SHALL the Board of Education of the Cooperstown Central School District be authorized to lease-purchase by installment contract three (3) 63-passenger buses at an annual cost not to exceed $97,500 plus interest, for a five (5) year term not to exceed $487,500, commencing July 1, 2026, and terminating on June 30, 2031, and to levy the necessary tax therefore. Proposition #2 SHALL that pursuant to Education Law, Section 259, the Board of Education of the Cooperstown Central School District is authorized to levy and collect an annual tax, year after year, separate and apart from the annual school district budget, in the amount of $332,411 of which $195,411 will be paid to the Village Library of Cooperstown for the support and maintenance of the Library and $137,000 will be paid to the Kinney Memorial Public Library for the support and maintenance of the library; with this appropriated amount to be the annual appropriation until thereafter modified by a future vote of the electors of the Cooperstown Central School District. 4.To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to the Education Law of the State of New York. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required to fund the School District's budget for the 2026-2027 school year, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any taxpayer in the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual Meeting, beginning May 12, 2026, except Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, at the Jr./Sr. High School located at 39 Linden Ave., Cooperstown, NY 13326 between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M., prevailing time and also at said District Election. A report of tax exemptions, showing how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll or rolls used in that budgetary process is exempt from taxation, shall be annexed to the budget document. The election and budget vote shall be by machine, absentee ballot or early mail. The hours during which the polls shall be kept open shall be from 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., prevailing time or for as long thereafter as necessary to enable qualified voters who are in the polling place at 8:00 P.M. to cast their ballots. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education shall be filed with the District Clerk at the District Clerk's office at the Jr./Sr. High School Building, not later than Monday April 20, 2026, at 5:00 P.M., prevailing time. Each petition must be directed to the District Clerk, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District or two percent (2%) of the voters in the previous annual election, whichever is greater. A copy of such petition may be obtained at the Office of District Clerk during regular business hours, except Saturday, Sunday and holidays. The petition shall describe at least the length of the term of office and contain the name of the last incumbent, must state the name and residence of each signer, and must state the name and residence of the candidate. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with §2035 and 2008 of the Education Law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with the District Clerk of the Board of Education at the Cooperstown Central School District on or before Monday, April 20, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. prevailing time; must be typed or printed in English, must be directed to the Clerk of the School District and signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District; and must state the name and residence of each signer. However, the School board will not entertain any petition to place before the voters any proposition the purpose of which is not within the powers of the voters to determine, or any proposition which fails to include a specific appropriation where the expenditure of monies is required by the proposition. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that applications for early mail and absentee ballots will be obtainable and are returnable no earlier than April 20, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the District Clerk. Completed applications for early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days prior to the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, May 12, 2026; or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter, May 18, 2026. Early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026. A list of all persons to whom early mail and absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the office of the District Clerk from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. prevailing time on each of the five (5) days prior to the day of the election, except weekends, up to the day set for the election. Any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of the ballot of any person on such list, by making his/her challenge and reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls. A challenge against an early mail ballot cannot be based on the reason that the voter should have obtained or applied for an absentee ballot. The Education Law makes special provisions for absentee voting by “permanently disabled”voters of the District and any questions regarding these rights should be directed to the Clerk of the Board. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the office of the District Clerk during business, from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M., prevailing time on each of the five (5) days prior to the day of the election, except weekends, up to the day set for the election, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of the ballot of any voter whose name appears on such list, by filing a written challenge stating the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls. The Education Law also makes special provisions for absentee voting for “military” voters of the District. Specifically, the law provides a unique procedure for “military ballots” in school district votes. Whereas absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots must be received by the voter by mail, a military voter may elect to receive his/her absentee ballot application and absentee ballot by mail, email or facsimile. The military voter must, however, return his/her original military ballot application and military ballot by mail or in person. The Clerk of the Board shall transmit the military voter's military ballot in accord with the military voter's preferred method of transmission not later than twenty-five (25) days before the vote, May 19, 2026. The Clerk of the Board must then receive the military voter's military ballot by mail or in person not later than 5:00 P.M. on the day of the vote. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the qualified voters of the School District shall be entitled to vote in said annual vote and election. A qualified voter is one who is (1) a citizen of the United States of America, (2) eighteen (18) years of age