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

SCHOHARIE COUNTY

LEGAL NOTICE





NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION

MIDDLEBURGH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of Middleburgh Central School District will be held in the Junior/Senior High School Library Media Center 291 Main Street, in the Village of Middleburgh, New York on May 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM prevailing time, for the presentation of the 2026-2027 budget for Middleburgh Central School District, and other business as may come before the meeting as is authorized by Education Law.




FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting and a vote, by voting machine, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Junior/Senior High School Gym Lobby, 291 Main Street, in the Village of Middleburgh, New York, at which time the polls will be open from Noon until 9:00 PM, for voting on the following items:




1. To adopt the annual budget of the Middleburgh Central School District for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property in the District.




2. To elect one (1) member to the Board of Education to a three (3) year term, commencing on July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Bonnie Snyder, whose terms expire on June 30, 2026.




3. To vote on the following propositions:






PROPOSITION #2: SHALL the Board of Education of the Middleburgh Central School District be authorized to: (1) acquire three (3) school buses and one (1) pupil transportation minivan at a cost not to exceed $523,000, which is estimated to be the maximum cost thereof; (2) expend such sum for such purpose, including the expenditure of $35,324 from the Capital (Bus) 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 State aid and the amount expended from the Capital (Bus) Reserve 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 $487,676, 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.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the election and budget vote shall be by machine or early mail or absentee ballot. The hours during which the polls shall be kept open shall be from Noon to 9:00 PM prevailing time or for as long thereafter as necessary to enable qualified voters who are in the polling place at 9:00 PM to cast their ballots.




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 the 2026-27 school year, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident in the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual Meeting except Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, at District school buildings, 245 Main Street, Middleburgh, New York and 291 Main Street, Middleburgh, New York between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, prevailing time and also at said District Election. A report of tax exemptions, showing how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll or rolls used in that budgetary process is exempt from taxation, shall be annexed to the budget document.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the qualified voters of the School District shall be entitled to vote in said annual vote and election. A qualified voter is one who is (1) a citizen of the United States of America, (2) eighteen (18) years of age or older, and (3) a resident within the School District for a period of thirty (30) days 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 section 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.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for early mail and absentee ballots will be obtainable during school business hours 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. Completed early mail and absentee ballot applications cannot be returned to the District Clerk prior to April 20, 2026. Early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 PM, prevailing time, on May 19, 2026.




A list of persons to whom early mail and absentee ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the office of the District Clerk each of the five (5) days prior to the day of the election, up to the day set for the election, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM on weekdays and on May 19, 2026, the day set for 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. 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 makes special provisions for absentee voting by “permanently disabled” voters of the District and any questions regarding these rights should be directed to the Clerk of the Board.




The Education Law also makes special provisions for absentee voting for “military” voters of the District. Specifically, the law provides a unique procedure for “military ballots” in the school district votes. Whereas early mail and absentee ballot applications and early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the voter by mail or in person, a military voter may elect to receive his/her absentee ballot application and absentee ballot by mail, email or facsimile. The military voter must, however, return his/her 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, April 24, 2026. The Clerk of the Board must then receive the military voter’s military ballot by mail or in person not later than 5:00 PM on the day of the vote.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education to fill one (1) expired term of three (3) years, shall be filed with the Clerk of the Middleburgh Central School District at 291 Main Street, Middleburgh New York 12122, not later than April 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM. 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. Nominating petitions may be obtained from the District Clerk during regular school hours.




AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with Sections 2035 and 2008 of the Education law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said vote and election, must be filed with the Board of Education on or before April 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM, prevailing time; 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 twenty-five (25) of the qualified voters of the District; and must state the name and residence of each signer. However, the School Board will not entertain or place before the voters any proposition if its purpose is beyond the power of the voters or is illegal, or any proposition requiring the expenditure of money which fails to include specific appropriations for all such expenditures required by the proposition.




Kim Lawyer

District Clerk

Middleburgh Central School District

Middleburgh, New York