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

2026-2027 Budget & Election Legal Notice

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION

CAMBRIDGE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Cambridge Central School District, Washington County, Cambridge, New York, will be held at the school house in said school district on May 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM, prevailing time, for the presentation of the budget.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the annual meeting of the qualified voters of the Cambridge Central School District, Washington County, Cambridge, New York, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the High School Gymnasium, 24 South Park Street, in said district, at which time said vote and election will be held between the hours of 12:00 noon and 8:00 PM, 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 two members of the Board of Education to a three-year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to fill the seats presently held by Joseph Hamilton and Ted Flint, whose terms expire on June 30, 2026.

3. Public Library Proposition as follows:

Shall an appropriation of $90,000 be made in the 2026-2027 Budget

for the Cambridge Public Library; this sum to be raised by the levy

of a tax upon the taxable property of the Cambridge Central School District?

4. Bus Proposition-

Shall the Board of Education of the Cambridge Central School District be authorized to: (1) acquire four (4) school buses and one (1) pupil transportation van at a cost not to exceed $635,684, which is estimated to be the maximum cost thereof; (2) expend such sum for such purpose, including the expenditure of $117,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund; (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, trade-in values and the amount expended from the Capital Reserve Fund and the General Fund; and (4) in anticipation of the collection of such tax, issue bonds and notes of the District at one time or from time to time in the principal amount not to exceed $518,684, and levy a tax to pay the interest on said obligations when due?

5. Increase to Transportation Reserve

Shall the Board of Education of the Cambridge Central School District be authorized to increase the ultimate amount of the Cambridge Central School District Transportation Capital Reserve Fund ("Reserve Fund"), which has a probable term of ten (10) years, from Two Hundred Fifty Thousand ($250,000.00) Dollars to Five Hundred Thousand ($500,000.00) Dollars, the establishment of said Reserve Fund having been authorized by the voters on May 21, 2024 pursuant to Section 3651 of the New York Education Law for the purpose of funding in whole or in part, purchasing vehicles used for pupil transportation services; and/or undertaking improvements, reconstruction, expansion, repairs, and/or renovations to existing infrastructure and facilities and/or constructing and/or installing new infrastructure and facilities related to the fueling and/or charging, maintaining, storing, repairing and/or safety of pupil transportation vehicles, including but not limited to electrical systems, fueling systems, charging stations, building systems, site work, piping or other infrastructure components, with such funds to be obtained from surplus monies remaining in the general fund, budgetary appropriations, and/or amounts from certain other reserve funds as authorized by law?

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, beginning May 5, 2026, on the District's website (www.cambridgecsd.org), at the District Office on weekdays between the hours of 7:30 A.M. and 3:30 P.M., and at the Cambridge Public Library. 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 5:00 PM, Monday April 20, 2026. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District and, must state the name and residence of the candidate.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that applications for absentee and early mail ballots will be obtainable between the hours of 7:30 AM and 3:30 PM 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 and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A list of persons to whom absentee ballots are issued, and a list of persons to whom early mail 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 14, 2026, between the hours of 7:30 AM and 3:30 PM on weekdays prior to the day set for the annual election and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election, and said lists will be posted 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 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that registered military voters may apply for a military ballot by requesting a military ballot application and indicating his/her preference for receiving said military ballot application or ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or email, and where such application is received and approved prior to April 22, 2026, such military ballot shall be issued on or before April 24, 2026.

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. (4) No person shall have the right to register for or vote at any school meeting or election who would not be qualified to register for or vote at an election in accordance with the provisions of Section 5-106 of the election law. The School District will require all persons offering to vote at the budget vote and election to provide one form of proof of residency pursuant to Education Law §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 School District will also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signature, printed name and address. Should any voter require assistance or accommodation in voting due to a disability, please contact the District for information.

DATED: April 2, 2026

Kate M. Canini

School District Clerk

Cambridge Central School District Cambridge, New York

PUB: APRIL 2, 16, 30, MAY 14, 2026 

COL-NY-4060