Annual meeting for Germantown Central School District elections and budget approval.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

LEGAL NOTICE



NOTICE OF ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING

GERMANTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

GERMANTOWN, NEW YORK 12526




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting and election of the inhabitants of the Germantown Central School District, Columbia County, New York, qualified to vote in the school meetings in said District, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the Germantown Central School District, 123 Main Street, Germantown New York, between the hours of 11:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M., for the election of two (2) members of the Board of Education; the vote upon the appropriation of the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures for the 2026-2027 fiscal year (the Budget); and the vote on all propositions involving the expenditures of money or authorizing the levy of taxes;




PROPOSITION 1 - Budget




Shall the Board of Education of the Germantown Central School District be authorized to expend the total amount of $TBD during the school year 2026-2027 and to levy the necessary tax therefor?




PROPOSITION 2 – Establishment of Capital Reserve Fund (School Buses)




Shall the Board of Education of the Germantown Central School District be authorized to establish a Capital

Reserve Fund pursuant to §3651 of the New York Education Law to be known as the School Bus/Van Capital Reserve Fund in an amount not to exceed $300,000, with a probable term of five (5) years, to be used to pay for all or a portion of the cost of transportation vehicles, including necessary equipment the source of the funds to be unappropriated unassigned fund balance in the general fund at the end of each fiscal year, transfers from other available reserves in accordance with law and/or other funds legally available funds to the school district?




PROPOSITION 3 – Establishment of Capital Reserve Fund (Facilities Improvement)




Shall the Board of Education of the Germantown Central School District be authorized to establish a Capital Reserve Fund pursuant to §3651 of the New York Education Law to be known as the Facilities Improvement Capital Reserve Fund in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000, with a probable term of ten (10) years, to be used to pay all or a portion of the cost of the construction, reconstruction, renovation and improvement of District buildings, facilities and grounds, including site work and other incidental improvements; the source of the funds to be unappropriated unassigned fund balance in the general fund at the end of each fiscal year, transfers from other available reserves in accordance with and/or other funds legally available to the school district?




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN, that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the 2026-2027 fiscal year for school purposes, may be obtained by any resident in the district during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual Meeting except Saturday, Sunday or holidays, at the District Office of the Germantown Central School, Germantown, NY, between 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M., and on the District website;




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN, that a tax exemption report, 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, and shall be posted on the district’s website for public notices.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN, that a public hearing on the proposed budget will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at the Germantown Central School, Germantown, NY, beginning at 6:00 P.M.;




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education of this District must be filed in the Office of the District Clerk at the Germantown Central School, Germantown, NY, between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M., and by not later than 5:00 P.M. on April 20, 2026. The following vacancies are to be filled:




 * 4-year term (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2030) – last incumbent – Andrea Foley
 * 4-year term (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2030) – last incumbent – Lester Olsson




Each petition must be directed to the Clerk of the District, shall be signed by 25 qualified voters of the District and shall state the name and residence address of the candidate and of each signer.




Two (2) vacancies for the office of the member of the Board of Education will be filled. The vacancies to be filled shall not be considered separate specific offices, and the nominating petition shall not describe any specific vacancy upon the Board of Education for which a candidate is nominated. The two (2) candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to fill the vacant offices.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law, personal registration of voters is required, and no person shall be entitled to vote at said Annual District Meeting to be held on May 19, 2026, whose name does not appear on the register of said School District or who does not register as hereinafter provided, except a person who is otherwise qualified to vote and is registered to vote with the County under the provisions of Article 5 of the Election Law. The Board of Registration shall prepare a register for said Annual District Meeting which shall include all persons who shall have been previously registered with the school district or County. The last day for registration with the School District is May 14, 2026.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the register of the School District, so prepared, will be filed in the District Clerk’s Office, and will include the names of military voters who submit valid registration applications, at Germantown Central School, Germantown, NY, where the same will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on each of the five (5) days prior to the said Annual School District Election and Vote, except Sundays and holidays.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that Military Voters who are not currently registered to vote in the District may request an application to register as a qualified voter of the District and military voters who are registered to vote in the District may request an application for a military ballot, from the District Clerk at 123 Main Street, Germantown, NY 12526; email: lshanley@germantowncsd.org; or Telephone (518) 537-6281, Ext. 2302 by no later than 5:00 P.M. on April 23, 2026. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration and/or ballot application by mail, by facsimile or email. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed no later than 25 days before the election. Military ballots must be received in person or by mail by the District Clerk by 5:00 P.M. on election day, May 19, 2026.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN, that provision is made for absentee balloting and early mail balloting for election of members of the Board of Education and vote on the district budget. Applications for absentee ballots and applications for early mail ballots may be obtained at the District Office. The absentee ballot or early mail ballot application must be received by the District Clerk at no more than thirty (30) days and at least seven (7) days prior to the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter or the day before the election if the ballot will be picked up personally by the voter or the voter’s designated agent set forth in the application, at the District Office. Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received at the office of the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 P.M. prevailing time, on the day of the election and vote, May 19, 2026. Separate lists of all persons to whom absentee ballots, early mail ballots and military ballots shall have been issued, will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District at the Office of the District Clerk during regular office hours, 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. prevailing time, until the day of the Election and Vote. Any qualified voter may file a written challenge of the qualification of a voter whose name appears on any such list, stating the reasons for the challenge.




Lisa Shanley

Germantown Central School District

District Clerk

(518) 537-6281 ext. 2302