Public hearing for the 2026-2027 budget and annual vote details.

Legal Notices 



NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING & ELECTION OF THE PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the public hearing for the qualified voters of the Panama Central School District (the “District”) on the 2026-2027 budget will be held in the Auditorium of the Panama Central School, 41 North Street, Panama, New York 14767, on Monday, May 11, 2026 at 5:30 PM.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the annual meeting and vote (the “Annual Vote”) of the qualified voters of the District will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 between the hours of 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM, in the North Gym lobby of the Panama Central School, located at 41 North Street, Panama, New York 14767, to vote, by voting machine, for the purposes of: (i) election one (1) member of the Board of Education of the District; (ii) voting on the budget of the District for the 2026-2027 fiscal year; (iii) acquisition of school buses and similar vehicles; and (iv) transacting such other business as is authorized by law.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Board of Education of the District (the “Board”) will have prepared and completed a detailed statement in writing of amount of money which will be required for the 2026-2027 fiscal year for school purposes, specifying the several purposes and the amount for each, exclusive of public monies. Such statement shall be prepared and made available, upon request, to residents of the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding, and the day of, the Annual Vote (May 19, 2026) except Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, at Panama Central School between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, and at the Ashville Free Library during its business hours.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the qualified voters of the District shall be entitled to vote at said annual meeting and election. A qualified voter is one who is (1) a citizen of the United States of America, (2) eighteen (18) years of age or older, (3) resident within the District for a period of thirty (30) days next preceding the annual meeting and election and (4) not otherwise disqualified from voting in school district elections. The District may require all persons offering to vote at the annual meeting and election to provide one form of proof of residency pursuant to Education Law Section 2018-c. Such form may include a driver’s license, a non-driver identification card, a utility bill or a voter registration card, upon offer of proof of residency the District may also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signatures, printed names and addresses.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that voting at the Annual Vote will consist of the Board election, voting on the following budget proposition, and voting on any other propositions authorized by law and the rules of the Board to be voted on at such time:

PROPOSITION NO. 1 - 2026-2027 Budget

Shall the following resolution be adopted?

RESOLVED, that the budget for the Panama Central School District (the “District”) for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027, as presented by the Board of Education of the District, is hereby approved and adopted and the required funds therefore are hereby appropriated and the necessary real property taxes required shall be raised by a tax on the taxable property in the District, to be levied and collected as required by law.

PROPOSITION NO. 2 - Acquisition of School Buses 
and Similar Vehicles (and Related Equipment)

Shall the following resolutions be adopted?

RESOLVED , that the Board of Education of the Panama Central School District, (the “District”), is hereby authorized to purchase school buses and similar vehicles, including equipment, machinery and apparatus used in connection therewith, for use in the transportation program of the District, at an estimated maximum cost of $248,458 (with such estimated maximum cost reflecting the value of any trade-ins), and the sum of $248,458, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable property of the District and all other eligible legal fund sources; and in anticipation of such tax, bonds or other obligations (including, without limitation, obligations arising under leases, lease/purchase contracts or installment purchase contracts) of the District are hereby authorized to be issued in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $248,458 and shall be issued or entered into in accordance with applicable provisions of New York State law, and that New York State Transportation Aid funds expected to be received by the District are anticipated to offset a substantial part of such costs, and such funds, to the extent received, shall be applied to offset and reduce the amount of taxes herein authorized to be levied.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that all candidates for the office of member of the Board shall be nominated by petition. Each petition shall be directed to the District Clerk, shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, shall state the residence of each signer, and shall state the name and residence of the candidate. Each petition must be filed in the office of the District Clerk, located at 41 North Street, Panama, New York 14767, between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and no later than 5:00 PM, Monday, April 20, 2026. Petitions are now available and may be obtained at the office of the District Clerk at the address listed herein.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the election of members of the Board shall be held to fill one

(1) at-large position on the Board. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to five-year term of office, commencing July 1, 2026 and expiring June 30, 2031, to fill the vacancy created by the expiration, on June 30, 2026, of the term of Steven Morgan.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that applications for early mail and absentee ballots may be obtained at the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the Annual Vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or on the day before the Annual Vote if the ballot is to be issued personally to the voter at the office of the District Clerk. Early Mail and Absentee ballots must be received at the office of the District Clerk not later than 5:00 PM on the day of the Annual Vote (May 19, 2026) to be canvassed and counted. 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, where it shall be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District during regular office hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) on each of the five (5) days prior to the Annual Vote (except Sunday), and will be posted at the polling place. Any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of an absentee voter or early mail voter’s ballot of any person on such list, by making his challenge and the reasons therefor known to the Inspector of the Election before the close of the polls.




TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that military voters who are qualified voters of the District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk at 41 North Street, Panama, NY 14767, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, the District Clerk must have received a valid ballot application no later than 5:00 PM on April 23, 2026. In a request for a military ballot application or ballot, the military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the application or ballot by mail, facsimile, or electronic mail. If no designation is indicated, the application and ballot will be transmitted by mail. Irrespective of the preferred method of transmission designated by a military voter, a military voter’s original military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk and the ballot received no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026, to be canvassed and counted .




BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

TOWN OF PANAMA, COUNTY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

Genevieve Jordan, District Clerk

41 North Street

Panama, New York 14767

4/2/26, 4/17/26, 5/1/26, 5/13/26



 Apr 2, 17, May 1, 13, 2026