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

GROTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

LEGAL NOTICE



NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, ANNUAL MEETING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION

GROTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

TOWNS OF GROTON, DRYDEN, LANSING, SUMMERHILL, LOCKE AND HOMER

COUNTIES OF TOMPKINS, CAYUGA, AND CORTLAND NEW YORK




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Groton Central School District Number One of the Towns of Groton, Dryden, Lansing, Summerhill, Locke, and Homer, Counties of Tompkins, Cayuga, and Cortland New York, will be held in the District Office, 400 Peru Road, Groton, New York in said District on Monday, May 11, 2026, immediately following the 6:30 pm Board of Education meeting, for the presentation of the budget. The budget will be available for review on May 1, 2026, in the District Office, Elementary School Office, Junior Senior High School Office, Groton Public Library, and the District’s webpage www.grotoncs.org.




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Annual Meeting of the qualified voters of the Groton Central School District Number One of the Towns of Groton, Dryden, Lansing, Summerhill, Locke, and Homer, Counties of Tompkins, Cayuga, and Cortland, New York, will be held at the Groton Central School in said District on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between the hours of 12:00 PM and 9:00 PM, prevailing time, at the District Office at the Junior-Senior High School, 400 Peru Rd., Groton, NY, at which time the polls will be opened to vote: by voting by ballot or machine upon the following items:




 1. To adopt Proposition #1 - the annual budget of the School District in the amount of $26,350,734 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.




 1. To elect three members of the Board of Education. The three candidates with the highest number of votes will each serve a three-year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029. The Board of Education seats at Groton Central School are “at large” seats.




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 2026-27, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the District during business hours beginning 
April 27, 2026, at the District Office, Elementary School Office, Junior-Senior High School Office, Groton Public Library, and the District’s webpage www.grotoncs.org.




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 at her office in the Groton Central School, not later than April 20, 2026, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District and shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) voters of the District and must state the name and residence of the candidate.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for absentee ballots will be obtainable between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the District Clerk on or after April 21, 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 by the voter. Absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 PM, 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 13, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 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 list 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 FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, Any qualified voter may apply for an early mail ballot between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the District Clerk. Early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 PM, prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. It is a felony to make a false statement in an application for an early mail ballot, to attempt to cast an illegal ballot, or to help anyone to cast an illegal ballot.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk at phone number or email address. 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 p.m. on April 23, 2026. In a request for a military ballot application or ballot, the military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the application or ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail.




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 next preceding the annual vote and election. The School District may 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 may also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signature, printed name and address.




Dated: April 16, 2026

Groton, NY 13073

By the Order of the Board of Education Groton Central School District

By: Lisa Warmbrodt, District Clerk