Public hearing and vote for Ripley Central School District budget and board election.

Legal Notices 



NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING

AND ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTE/BOARD MEMBER ELECTION

FOR THE RIPLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing of the Ripley Central School District (the “District”) will be held in the Superintendent’s Office (Room 119) of the Schoolhouse located at 12 North State Street, Ripley, New York, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, for the purpose of presenting the proposed budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the annual school district vote and board member election (the “Annual District Vote”) will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, in Room 125 of the Schoolhouse located at 12 North State Street, Ripley, New York, for the purpose of (1) voting on the District’s proposed budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, (2) for the election of two (2) members of the Board of Education of the District (the “Board”) for the term specified below, (3) the purchase of three (3) school vehicles as set out below, and (4) for the transaction of such other business as is authorized by law or rules of the Board.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that an election for members of the Board shall be held to fill two (2) seats on the Board resulting from the expiration, on June 30, 2026, of the terms of Karen Mooney-Crouch and Jacqueline Melter. The two candidates receiving the highest vote totals will each be elected to a three (3) year term commencing July 1, 2026 and ending on June 30, 2029.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that all candidates for the office of member of the Board shall be nominated by petition. Each petition shall be filed in the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, no later than Monday, April 20, 2026. Each petition shall be directed to the District Clerk, shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District or two percent of the voters who voted in the previous annual election of the members of the Board, whichever is greater, and shall state the residence of each signer, the name and residence of each candidate, and shall describe the specific vacancy on the Board for which the candidate is nominated, including the length of the term of office and the name of the last incumbent. No person shall be nominated for more than one separate office. Petitions may be obtained from the District Clerk.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN 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. The amount for each purpose estimated necessary for payments to Boards of Cooperative Educational Services shall be shown in full, with no deduction of estimated state aid. The amount of state aid provided and its percentage relationship to the total expenditures shall also be shown. Such statement shall be completed at least seven 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 days before the budget hearing and/or fourteen days immediately preceding the annual meeting and election, and may be obtained by any resident in the District at each school house in the District in which school is maintained during the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. prevailing time on and after May 5, 2026, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and in the District Office.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that applications for absentee and early mail ballots may be obtained between the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the District Clerk. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the Annual District Vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or on the day before the Annual District Vote, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Absentee and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A list of persons to whom absentee and early mail ballots are issued will be available for inspection by qualified voters in the office of the District Clerk, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., prevailing time, until the day set for voting, except for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and said list will be posted at the polling place.




NOTICE IS ALSO 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. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, the District Clerk must have received a valid ballot application no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, 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.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that a paper ballot based optical scanner will be used to record the vote on the budget, the propositions set forth herein, and on the election of two (2) members of the Board.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the Board has adopted rules for the Submission of Questions and Propositions at the Annual Meeting and Election and Special District Meetings and has printed copies for general distribution in the District available at the office of the District Clerk, located in the District Office, 12 North State Street, Ripley, New York.




NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that voting shall also consist of voting on the following propositions, as well as other such matters as may be lawfully presented at the meeting:




PROPOSITION NO. 1

2026-2027 SCHOOL BUDGET




Shall the following resolution be adopted?




BE IT RESOLVED, that the budget for the Ripley Central School District (the “District”) for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027, as presented by the Board of Education, is hereby approved and adopted and the required funds therefor are hereby appropriated and the necessary real property taxes required shall be raised by a tax on the taxable property in the District to be levied and collected as required by law.




PROPOSITION NO. 

PURCHASE OF SCHOOL BUSES

Shall the following resolution be adopted?

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education (the “Board”) of the Ripley Central School District, Chautauqua County, New York (the “District”), is hereby authorized to purchase one (1) 65-passenger school bus, (1) one 22-capacity with wheelchair lift school bus, and one (1) Chevrolet Suburban or equivalent for use in the transportation program of the District, and to expend therefore an aggregate sum not to exceed $370,655 and that the sum of $370,655, being the aforesaid estimated maximum cost, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable property of the District and collected in annual installments as provided by Section 416 of the Education Law, and, in anticipation of such tax, bonds or other obligations (including, without limitation, obligations arising under leases, lease/purchase contracts or installment purchase contracts having a term of not more than five years) of the District shall be issued or entered into in accordance with applicable provisions of New York State law.




Victoria G. Mosier, District Clerk

Ripley Central School District

Chautauqua County, New York



 Apr 7, 11, 25, May 2, 2026