Public hearing and budget vote for Hartford Central School District scheduled for May 2026.

HARTFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEGAL NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION 

LEGAL NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION HARTFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Hartford Central School District, Washington County, Hartford, New York, will be held in Distance Learning Room #1 in said school district on May 11, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., prevailing time, for the presentation of the budget.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the annual meeting of the qualified voters of the Hartford Central School District, Washington County, Hartford, New York, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Middle/High School, 4704 State Route 149, in said district, at which time said vote and election will be held between the hours of 11:00am and 8:00p.m., prevailing time, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by paper ballot upon the following items:

 1. To adopt the annual budget of the School District for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the District;
 2. To elect one member of the Board of Education for a five-year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2031, to fill the seat presently held by Ashley Happy, whose term expires on June 30, 2026; 
 3. Vehicle Purchase Proposition: Shall the following resolution be adopted, to wit: RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Hartford Central School District is hereby authorized to purchase one (1) 66 passenger bus at a total cost not to exceed $190,000 and that the sum of $190,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable property of said School District and collected in annual installments as provided by the Education Law and the Local Finance Law, and in anticipation of such tax, obligations of said School District shall be issued.
    

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 2026-2027, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the District during business hours beginning fourteen (14) days before the vote, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays, during the hours of 7:30a.m. and 3:30p.m.

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 Clerk of said School District no later than 3:30 p.m. on April 20, 2026. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District, shall be signed by at least 25 voters of the District, must state the name and residence of the candidate, the residence of the signor, and shall describe the specific vacancy for which the candidate is nominated included the length of term of office and the name of the last incumbent.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots will be obtainable between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the District Clerk. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A list of persons to whom absentee ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the office of the District Clerk on and after May 12, 2026, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekdays prior the day set for the annual election and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election, and said list will be available at the polling place at the election. Any qualified voter present in the polling place may object to the voting of the ballot upon appropriate grounds for making his/her challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that military voters who are qualified voters of the Hartford Central School District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk in person, at the following phone number or email address: 518-632-5222 or ahoward@hartfordcsd.org. 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 20, 2026. In a request for a military ballot application or ballot, the military voter may indicate his/her preference for receiving the application or ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail. A list of all persons to whom military ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the School District in the office of the District Clerk during regular business hours during the five (5) days prior to the election, except for Saturday and Sunday, and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election, subject to any applicable laws, and regulations.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the qualified voters of the School District shall be entitled to vote at said annual vote and election. A qualified voter is one who is (1) a citizen of the United States of America, (2) eighteen 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, and who is not otherwise prohibited from voting pursuant to the Election Law.

Amanda Howard

District Clerk

Hartford Central School District Hartford, New York

DATED: March 9, 2026

PUB: APRIL 2, 9, 23, 30, 2026 

COL-NY-4056