Annual budget hearing and election for Kinderhook Central School District scheduled for May 2026.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

LEGAL NOTICE



NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION & ANNUAL BUDGET HEARING

FOR THE KINDERHOOK (ICHABOD CRANE) CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Education will hold the District’s Annual Budget Hearing on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at Ichabod Crane High School, 2910 U.S. Route 9, Valatie, to present the proposed 2026-2027 budget to District voters.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the Annual Meeting and Election of the Kinderhook Central School District, (Ichabod Crane) will be held at Ichabod Crane High School, 2910 U.S. Route 9, Valatie, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. 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. The polls will be open to vote by voting machine 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 three (3) members of the Board of Education, each to three-year terms, commencing July 1, 2026 and expiring on June 30, 2029 to succeed Max DiOrio, Kelly Firmbach, and Christopher Scoville, whose terms expire on June 30, 2026.




3. To vote on the following proposition: Bus Purchase Proposition

SHALL the Board of Education of the Kinderhook Central School District be authorized to: (1) acquire four (4) school buses, at a cost not to exceed $653,506 which is estimated to be the maximum cost thereof; (2) expend such sum for such purpose; (3) levy the necessary tax therefore, to be levied and collected in annual installments in such years and in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Education in accordance with Section 416 of the Education Law taking into account state aid and trade-in value; and (4) in anticipation of the collection of such tax, issue bonds, notes and/or installment purchase contracts of the District at one time or from time to time in the principal amount not to exceed $653,506, and levy a tax to pay the interest on said obligations when due?




4.To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to the Education Law of the State of New York.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money required for the ensuing year for school purposes, exclusive public monies, may be obtained by District residents during the fourteen (14) days preceding the Annual Meeting (except Saturday, Sunday, or holiday) at Ichabod Crane High School, Ichabod Crane Elementary School, Ichabod Crane Primary School, Ichabod Crane Middle School, and the Central Administration Office (in the High School), between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., prevailing time. A report of tax exemptions, showing how much of the total assessed value of the final assessment roll or rolls used in that budgetary process is exempt from taxation, shall be annexed to the budget document.

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that petitions nominating candidates for the office of Board of Education member must be filed with the District Clerk between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., not later than 5:00 p.m. Monday, April 20, 2026. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District and shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, and must state the full name and residence of the candidate. Information packets, including the nominating petitions, are available from the District Clerk during regular school hours.

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that pursuant to Education Law Section 2014 personal registration of voters is required and no person shall be entitled to vote at said meeting whose name does not appear on the District’s register or who does not register as hereinafter provided, or who is not registered to vote under the provisions of Election Law Article 5. The voter register shall include all persons who shall be registered for and who shall have voted at any annual or special District meeting or election held or conducted within the four (4) calendar years prior to 2026. Individuals may register to vote with the District Clerk on school days from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the District Clerk’s office. An individual must be registered at least five (5) days preceding an election in order to vote in that election. The register of voters will be open for inspection between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday (by appointment) on each of the five (5) days prior to and the day of the meeting, except Sunday, May 17, 2026, and at the polling places on the day of the election.

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that early mail and absentee ballots may be applied for at the District Clerk’s office beginning April 20, 2026; 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. Early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on May 19, 2026. A list of all persons to whom early mail and absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available for inspection in the District Clerk’s office on each of the five (5) days prior to the day of the election except Saturday and Sunday. Any qualified voter present in the polling place may object to the voting of the ballot upon appropriate grounds for making their challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Elections 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 also makes special provisions for absentee voting by ”permanently disabled” voters and for “military” voters of the District. Specifically, the law provides a unique procedure for “military ballots” in school district votes. Whereas early mail and absentee ballot applications and ballots must be received by the voter by mail, a military voter may elect to receive their absentee ballot application and absentee ballot by mail, email or facsimile. The military voter must, however, return their 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 accordance with the military voter’s preferred method of transmission not later than 25 days before the vote. 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 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, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, provided a proposition is filed with the District Clerk on or before April 20, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. prevailing time; said proposition must be typed or printed in the English language; must be directed to the Clerk of the School District; must be signed by at least fifty (50) qualified voters of the District; and must state the name and residence of each signer. 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.