Public hearing and budget vote for Taconic Hills Central School District scheduled for May 6.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

PUBLIC NOTICE



LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE, AND ELECTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing on the proposed 2026-2027 Budget for the Taconic Hills Central School District shall be held in the Board of Education Room of the Taconic Hills Central School, Craryville, New York, on May 6, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. prevailing time. The budget will be available for review at the District Office located at 73 County Route 11A, Craryville, NY 12521 during business hours, up to fourteen (14) days preceding the date of election.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the annual meeting of the qualified voters of the Taconic Hills Central School District will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, in the Veteran’s Community Room of the Taconic Hills Central School, Craryville, New York, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by machine, early mail ballot, or absentee ballot on the following items:

ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBER SEATS

To elect three (3) members of the Board of Education to the following terms: two (2) to five-year terms commencing July 1, 2026 and expiring June 30, 2031, succeeding Board Members Bonnie Torchia and Margaret Hallisey, whose terms expire June 30, 2026; and one (1) to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Kevin Maisenbacher, for his unexpired term, commencing May 20, 2026 and expiring June 30, 2027.

 1. 2026-2027 BUDGET

Shall the Board of Education of the Taconic Hills Central School District be authorized to expend the sums set forth in the budget, for the 2026-2027 school year, in the amount of TBD and to levy the necessary tax therefor?

 1. PURCHASE OF SCHOOL VEHICLES AND BUSES

Shall the Board of Education be authorized to (a) acquire one (1) large school bus, one (1) small school bus, and one (1) SUV at a maximum aggregate cost of $351,000.00; (b) finance such purchase by expending $351,000.00 from the unassigned fund balance?

 1. 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 except Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, at District school buildings between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 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, early mail ballot, or absentee ballot. The hours during which the polls shall be kept open shall be from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., prevailing time or for as long thereafter as necessary to enable qualified voters who are in the polling place at 9:00 p.m. to cast their ballots.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that applications for early mail and absentee ballots will be obtainable and are returnable between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 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 9:00 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. 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. 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.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that 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 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. If a military voter does not designate a preference, the board of education shall transmit the military ballot application or military ballot by mail. If a military voter designates a preference for facsimile transmission or electronic mail but does not provide the necessary facsimile number or e-mail address, the board of education shall transmit the voter registration application, military ballot application or military ballot by mail and request the omitted information. The military voter must, however, return his/her original military ballot application and military ballot by mail or in person, regardless of how the absentee application or ballot was received. The Clerk of the Board shall transmit the military voter’s military ballot in accord with the military voter’s preferred method of transmission, or if no preference, by mail, not later than April 24, 2026. The Clerk of the Board must then receive the military voter’s military ballot by mail not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the vote.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with Sections 2035 and 2008 of the Education law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said vote and election, must be filed with the Board of Education on or before April 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. prevailing time; must be typed or printed in the English language; must be directed to the District Clerk; must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) of the qualified voters of the School District; and must state the name and residence of each signer. However, the School Board will not entertain or place before the voters any proposition if its purpose is beyond the power of the voters, or is illegal, or any proposition requiring the expenditure of moneys which fails to include specific appropriations for all such expenditures required by the proposition.

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 Office located at 73 County Route 11A, Craryville, NY 12521, not later than April 20, 2026 at 4:00 p.m., prevailing time. Each petition must be directed to the District Clerk, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters, and must state the name and residence of the candidate. A copy of such petition may be obtained at the Office of the District Clerk during regular school hours.

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 or older, and (3) resident within the School District for a period of thirty (30) days preceding the annual vote and election. The School District may require all persons offering to vote at the budget vote 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 redacted tax return or any identification containing the person’s physical address. Upon offer of proof of residency, the School District may also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signature, printed name and address.

Dated: April 2 and April 9, 2026
Craryville, New York
Alexsis Miller, District Clerk, Taconic Hills Central School District