Public hearing on the Chester Union Free School District budget scheduled for May 6, 2026.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING

ON THE BUDGET, ANNUAL MEETING, SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION, VOTING ON THE BUDGET, AND REGISTRATION OF VOTERS OF THE CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT CHESTER, NEW YORK

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, COUNTY OF ORANGE, NEW YORK, AS FOLLOWS:

 1. That the Board of Education of the Chester Union Free School District will hold a Public Hearing on the Budget in the auditorium at Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Avenue, Chester, NY on the 6th day of May 2026, at 7:00 p.m., prevailing time, for the presentation of the budget document proposed by said Board of Education for the school year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
 2. That a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for School District purposes (the budget) during the 2026-2027 school year, as prepared by the Board of Education, may be obtained by any resident in the District during the fourteen days immediately preceding May 6, 2026, except Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, at each schoolhouse in the District in which school is maintained, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., prevailing time, at any public or free association library in the District and on the District’s website. The real property tax exemption report in accordance with §495 of the Real Property Tax Law will be annexed to any tentative/preliminary budget as well as the final budget of which will form a part; and shall be posted on District bulletin board (s) maintained for public notices, as well as the District’s website.
 3. That the Annual Meeting, School District Election and Vote will be held in the band room at Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Avenue, Chester, NY on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between the hours of 8:00a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, when the polls will be open for the purpose of voting by voting machine:

A. To elect one (1) member to the Board of Education on an at-large basis; for a three (3) year term, commencing July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.

B. To vote on the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 School Year.




PROPOSITION NO. 1 – THE BUDGET

Shall the Board of Education of the Chester Union Free School District, Orange County, New York, be authorized to expend the sums of money which will be required for school district purposes for the year July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 (the budget) and to levy the necessary tax therefore.




4.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 Election and Vote to be held on Tuesday, 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 under the provisions of Article 5 of the Election Law. The Board of Registration shall prepare a register for said Annual District Election, which shall include all persons who shall have presented themselves personally for registration and shall also include all persons who shall have been previously registered for any annual or special district meeting or election and who shall have voted at any annual or special district meeting or election held or conducted at any time during the 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025 calendar years. Any qualified voter may register to vote for the Annual Election and Vote during regular school business hours, from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m on days when school is in session at the District Clerk’s office, Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Ave, Chester, NY, until May 14, 2026.

5.The register of the School District, so prepared, including the names of military voters who submit valid registrations, will be filed in the District Office of the School District at Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Avenue, Chester, NY, where the same will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, on each of the five days prior to said Annual School District Election and Vote, except Saturday and Sunday. Said register will be open for inspection in the band room at Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Avenue, Chester, NY, during the Annual School District Election and Vote on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 

6. Pursuant to Section 2018-a and Section 2018-e of the Education Law, applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots may be obtained from the District Clerk, located at Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Ave, Chester, NY. Such application for an absentee ballot or early mail ballot must be received by the District Clerk no more than thirty (30) days and at least seven (7) days prior to the Annual School District Election and Vote if the absentee ballot or early mail ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the Annual School District Election and Vote if the ballot is to be personally picked up by the voter or the voter’s authorized designee set forth in the application at the District Clerk’s Office. Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk or election inspectors not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on the day of the Annual School District Election and Vote, Tuesday, 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 by the District Clerk, until the day of the Election and Vote. Any qualified voter may file a written challenge of the qualifications of a voter, whose name appears on any such list, stating the reasons for the challenge.

7.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, for the Annual Meeting on May 19, 2026, by contacting the District Clerk at 64 Hambletonian Avenue, Chester, NY 10918, by telephone: (845) 469-5052, ext. 3401, or email: lindsay.iannuzzi@chesterufsd.org. A military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration application and/or military ballot application by mail, facsimile transmission, or email. The completed application to register and/or for a military ballot must be received by the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 pm on April 23, 2026. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed no later than 25 days before the election (April 24, 2026). Military ballots must be returned by mail or in person and received by the District Clerk by 5:00 pm on May 19, 2026

8. That the members of the Board of Registration shall meet on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the band room at Chester Academy, 64 Hambletonian Avenue, Chester, NY, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, where and when the Annual District Election and Vote will be held, for the purpose of preparing a register of the School District for meetings or elections held subsequent to such Annual School District Election and Vote.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT TOWN OF CHESTER, COUNTY OF ORANGE, NEW YORK

LINDSAY IANNUZZI SCHOOL DISTRICT CLERK