Public hearing and annual meeting for Newfane Central School District budget voting.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF THE NEWFANE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Newfane Central School District will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Newfane Middle School Auditorium for the presentation of the District's 2026-2027 budget. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the Annual District Meeting and Election (the “Annual Meeting”) of the qualified voters of the Newfane Central School District, Niagara County, New York, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Newfane Elementary School Building, located at 2909 Transit Road, Newfane, New York, for the purpose of voting on the annual budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, voting on the purchase of new plow trucks from the District's Capital Reserve Fund and electing two (2) at-large members of the Board of Education (the “Board”) for three (3) year terms. The two (2) candidates who receive the most votes will be elected to three (3) year terms commencing on July 1, 2026, and terminating on June 30, 2029. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the qualified voters of the District shall be entitled to vote at said Annual Meeting. 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 District for a period of thirty (30) days next preceding the Annual Meeting. The District may require all persons offering to vote at the Annual Meeting 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 District may also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signature, printed name and address. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the voting on the budget will consist of voting on the following propositions, as well as other such matters as may be lawfully presented at the meeting: PROPOSITION 1: 2026-27 Budget Shall the following resolution be adopted, to wit: RESOLVED, that the budget of the Newfane Central School District (the “District”), Niagara County, New York, for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027 as presented by the Board of Education of the District, is hereby approved and adopted and the required funds therefore, shall be hereby appropriated and the necessary real property taxes required shall be raised by a tax on the taxable property in said District to be levied and collected as required by law. PROPOSITION 2: PURCHASE OF DISTRICT VEHICLES Shall the following resolution be adopted, to wit: RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Newfane Central School District, Niagara County, New York (the "District") is hereby authorized to purchase new plow trucks (and related equipment) at a total maximum estimated cost of $250,000 for use in the maintenance program of the District, utilizing not more than $250,000 from the funds currently on hand in the District's Capital Reserve Fund for Equipment, 2022. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that voting machines will be used to record the vote on the budget, the purchase of District vehicles, and on the election of members of the Board of Education. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the Board has adopted Rules for the Use of Voting Machines and the Submission of Questions or Propositions to be Placed Thereon, and printed copies for general distribution are available in the office of the District Clerk located at the Newfane Early Childhood Center, 6175 East Avenue, Newfane, New York. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board under §§2035 and 2008 of the Education Law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at the Annual Meeting must comply with the Board's adopted rules set forth in District Policy 1650. However, the Board will not entertain any petition to place before the voters any proposition the purpose of which is not within the powers of the voters to determine, or any proposition which fails to include a specific appropriation where the proposition requires the expenditure of monies. Printed copies of the policy are available on the District's website and at the office of the District Clerk located at the Newfane Early Childhood Center, 6175 East Avenue, Newfane, New York. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the Board will have prepared and completed a detailed statement in writing of the amount of money which will be required during the 2026-2027 fiscal year for school purposes, specifying the several purposes and the amount for each. Such statement shall be completed at least seven (7) days before the budget hearing at which it is to be presented and copies thereof shall be prepared and made available, upon request, to residents within the District during the period of seven (7) days before the budget hearing and/or fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual Meeting, and may be obtained by any resident in the District on the District website or at any school house in the District in which school is maintained as well as the District Office during normal business hours on and after April 28, 2026, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that included in the 2026-27 budget is the first of a five year contract for the transportation of students from home to school, out of district, and to athletic events and field trips. The cumulative five year cost is set forth in the Board's budget statement, available on the District website, at District schoolhouses and the District Clerk's office, and represents the costs for transportation of students from home to school & out of district as well as transportation of students to athletic competitions and field trips, respectively. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that all candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education shall be nominated by petition. Each petition shall be directed to the District Clerk, shall be signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the District, shall state the residence of each signer, and shall state the name and residence of the candidate. Each petition must be filed in the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays but not later than 5:00 p.m. on the thirtieth day preceding the Annual Meeting, to wit, April 20, 2026. Petitions may be obtained by contacting the office of the District Clerk. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that applications for absentee and early mail ballots may be obtained from the District Clerk between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, at their office located at the Newfane Early Childhood Center, 6175 East Avenue, Newfane, New York. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the Annual Meeting, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or on the day before the Annual Meeting, if the ballot is to be issued personally to the voter at the office of the District Clerk. The District Clerk must receive absentee and early mail ballots no later than 5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, to be canvassed and counted. A listing of persons to whom absentee and early mail ballots have been issued will be available for inspection in the office of the District Clerk during each of the five (5) days prior to day of the Annual Meeting, except Sundays, and also at the polling site. Any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of an absentee or early mail ballot of any person on such list by making the challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Chief Election Inspector before the close of the polls. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that military voters who are qualified voters of the District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, the District Clerk must have received a valid military ballot application not 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 a preference for receiving the application or ballot by mail, facsimile or electronic mail. If no designation is indicated, the military ballot application and ballot will be transmitted by mail. Irrespective of the preferred method of transmission designated by a military voter, a military voter's original military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk and the ballot received no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026, to be canvassed and counted. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the District Clerk may be contacted in the District Office by emailing semborsky@newfanecentralschools.org or by calling 716-778-6850 for information or for an appointment regarding candidate petitions or absentee or early ballots. Dated: March 17, 2026 BY ORDER OF THE BO