Public hearing and election for school district budget and board members.

CORTLAND ENLARGED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

LEGAL NOTICE





NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION

CORTLAND ENLARGED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Cortland Enlarged City School District, City of Cortland, New York, will be held in the City and County of Cortland, New York in said District on May 5 , 2026 , at 5:00 PM, in the Cortland Junior Senior High School Auditorium, 8 Valley View Drive, Cortland, prevailing time, for the transaction of business as authorized by Education Law, including the following items:




 1. To receive such reports of the officials of the School District as shall be submitted.
 2. To discuss all the items hereinafter set forth to be voted upon by voting machines at the vote and election to be held on May 19, 2026.
 3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to the Education Law of the State of New York and acts amendatory thereto.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that said vote and election will be held on May 19, 2026 , between the hours of 12:00 PM and 9:00 PM, prevailing time, at the following polling locations in the Cortland Enlarged City School District:




City:

School

Ward

District

Location

Address

1-8

1

Cortland Jr. Sr. High School

8 Valley View Drive




Cortlandville, Lapeer, Harford, Virgil:

School

LD/ED/Town

District

Location

Adress12-1 CT

9

Cortland Jr. Sr. High School 

8 Valley View Drive

13-3 & 4 CT

9

Cortland Jr. Sr. High School

8 Valley View Drive

14-6 CT

9

Cortland Jr. Sr. High School

8 Valley View Drive

18-1 LA

10

Virgil Town Hall

1176 Church Street, Virgil

19-1 HA

10

Virgil Town Hall

1176 Church Street, Virgil

19-2 VI

10

Virgil Town Hall

1176 Church Street, Virgil




At which time the polls will be opened 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 two (2) members of the Board of Education. Both candidates will serve three-year terms commencing July 1, 2026 and expiring on June 30, 2029.
 3. To vote upon the adoption of the proposition which will appear as Proposition No. 2 on the ballot.
 4. To vote upon the adoption of the proposition which will appear as Proposition No. 3 on the ballot.
 5. To vote upon the adoption of the proposition which will appear as Proposition No. 4 on the ballot.
 6. To vote upon the adoption of the proposition which will appear as Proposition No. 5 on the ballot.




Propositions:




Proposition 1 will be the budget.




PROPOSITION 2

(Student Transportation Vehicles)




Shall the bond resolution adopted by the Board of Education of the Cortland Enlarged City School District on February 24, 2026 authorizing the acquisition of four ( 4) 75-passenger diesel powered student transport vehicles and one (1) student transport van , including other necessary improvements, furnishings, fixtures and equipment , and the expenditure of a total sum not to exceed $985,000, which is estimated to be the total maximum cost thereof, and further authorizing the issuance of $985,000 serial bonds to pay the cost thereof ; providing that the sum of $985,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable real property of such School District and collected in annual installments as provided by Section 416 of the Education Law; providing that, in anticipation of said tax, obligations of the School District, including installment purchase contracts, may be issued; pledging the faith and credit of said School District for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds; determining that period of probable usefulness of the objects or purposes to be financed, and maximum maturity of the serial bonds therefor, is five years; delegating the power to authorize and sell bond anticipation notes and to fix the details of and to sell serial bonds; containing an estoppel clause and providing for the publication of an estoppel notice, be approved?




PROPOSITION 3

(2026 Capital Reserve Fund)




Resolved , the Board of Education of the Cortland Enlarged City School District is hereby authorized to establish a capital reserve fund pursuant to Section 3651 of the Education Law to be designated, “2026 Capital Reserve Fund” created to defray the cost of the construction, reconstruction and equipping of School District buildings, facilities, and land, including original equipment, machinery, apparatus, appurtenances, furnishings, land acquisitions, and other incidental improvements and expenses in connection therewith, and in order to accomplish the same, the Board is hereby authorized to establish the ultimate amount of such reserve fund to be Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000) inclusive of accrued interest and other investment earnings, with a probable term of ten (10) years. The Board of Education is hereby authorized to pay funds from the available fund balance, state aid reimbursement to the School District on account of capital projects, such other monies as the voters may direct, an amount not to exceed Three Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,200,000) from the School District’s existing capital reserve fund established on May 17, 2016, and/or other legally available funds of the School District to such reserve fund in an amount determined by the Board of Education up to the maximum authorized amount.




PROPOSITION 4

(2026 Transportation Capital Reserve Fund)




Resolved , the Board of Education of the Cortland Enlarged City School District is hereby authorized to establish a capital reserve fund pursuant to Section 3651 of the Education Law to be designated, “2026 Transportation Capital Reserve Fund” created to defray the cost of school buses and other vehicles, including but not limited to diesel school buses, other diesel vehicles, zero-emission school buses, other zero-emission vehicles, and transportation infrastructure, including construction and reconstruction of School District buildings and facilities, original equipment, machinery, apparatus, appurtenances, furnishings and other incidental improvements and expenses in connection therewith, and in order to accomplish the same, the Board is hereby authorized to establish the ultimate amount of such reserve fund to be Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) inclusive of accrued interest and other investment earnings, with a probable term of ten (10) years. The Board of Education is hereby authorized to pay funds from the available fund balance, state aid reimbursement to the School District on account of capital projects, such other monies as the voters may direct, an amount not to exceed Three Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,200,000) from the School District’s existing capital reserve fund established on May 17, 2016, and/or other legally available funds of the School District to such reserve fund in an amount determined by the Board of Education up to the maximum authorized amount.




PROPOSITION 5

(Cortland Free Library Tax)




Shall the Cortland Free Library tax previously approved by the voters of the District be increased from the current $473,724 to $484,745 beginning July 1, 2026, to be raised by a tax upon the taxable property of the District in each year for general library purposes and to continue from year to year until modified or repealed by a subsequent vote?




Notices:




NOTICE IS FURTHER 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 April 28, 2026, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays, in any of our school offices or at the District Office, 1 Valley View Drive, Cortland, New York.




NOTICE IS FURTHER 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 at the District Office, 1 Valley View Drive, Cortland, New York, not later than April 29, 2026, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Vacancies on the Board of Education are not considered separate, specific offices; candidates run at large. Nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy upon the Board for which the candidate is nominated; must be directed to the Clerk of the District; must be signed by at least 100 qualified voters of the District; must state the name and residence of each signer, and, must state the name and residence of the candidate.




NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that qualified voters of the District may obtain applications for an absentee ballot or an early voting ballot from the office of the Clerk of the District. Completed applications must be received by the Clerk of the District no later than 4:00