Public hearing for Sag Harbor School District budget and election details.

 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, 

BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION OF 

THE SAG HARBOR UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK




NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing of the qualified voters of the Sag Harbor Union Free School District, Towns of Southampton and East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York, will be held in the Pierson Middle/High School, in said district on May 11, 2026, at 6:30pm, prevailing time, for the transaction of business as authorized by the Education Law, including the following items:

1. To present to the voters a detailed statement of the amount of money which will be required for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

2. To discuss all the items hereinafter set forth to be voted upon by voting machine at the Budget Vote and Election to be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to Education Law of the State of New York and acts amendatory thereto.

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 2026-2027, exclusive of public moneys, may be obtained by any resident of the District beginning May 5, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 am-3:00 pm, prevailing time, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays at the Office of the District Clerk, Pierson Middle/High School: 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, NY, Sag Harbor Elementary School: 68 Hampton Street, Sag Harbor, NY, Sag Harbor Learning Center: 135 Division Street, Sag Harbor, NY, and John Jermain Memorial Library: 201 Main Street, Sag Harbor, NY, and on the District's internet website.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that said Budget Vote and Election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Pierson High School Gymnasium, between the hours of 7:00 am-9:00pm, prevailing time, 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 three (3) members of the Board of Education for a 3-year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to fill the position held by Alex Kriegsman, Sandi Kruel, and Daniel Marsili, whose terms expire on June 30, 2026.

3. "Shall the Board of Education of the Sag Harbor Union Free School District be authorized to purchase one (1) new 2026 Chevy Thomas Minotour Wheelchair Model School Bus at an estimated maximum cost of $124,000, one (1) new 2026 Freightliner Thomas/C2 Body Model School Bus at an estimated maximum cost of $160,000, and one (1) new 2026 Chevy Thomas Minotour 30 Child Passenger Model School Bus at an estimated maximum cost of $101,000, for a total estimated maximum cost of $385,000, and to appropriate and spend such amount from the Transportation Fleet Capital Reserve Fund, which was previously established following a proposition of the voters of the District on May 16, 2017?" Note: The approval of this proposition will not have an impact on the Tax Levy for the 2026-2027 school year.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law, the School District is required to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how the total assessed value of the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted by the statutory authority, and show the cumulative impact of each type of exemption, the cumulative amount expected to be received as payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. In addition, said exemption report shall be posted on any bulletin board maintained by the District for public notices and on any website maintained by the District.

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 Pierson Middle/High School, 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, NY. 11963, not later than April 20, 2026, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., prevailing time. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District; must be signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the District; 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.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, the voters may register with the Clerk of said School District at her office in the District Administration Office, Pierson Middle/High School, 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, NY, 11963, between the hours of 8:00 am-3:00 pm when school is in session at any day on or before May 14, 2026 to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid election, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register provided that at such meeting with the Clerk of said School District he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of the Clerk of said School District to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the Register is prepared. The Register so prepared pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk, at her office in the District Administration Office, Pierson Middle/High School, 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, NY, 11963, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning on Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 am-3:00 pm, prevailing time, on each day prior to the day set for the election, except Sunday, and at the polling place(s) on the day of the vote.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the district may submit an application for a military ballot on or before April 23, 2026 by emailing the District Clerk at cmcnamara@sagharborschools.org or by fax to 631-725-5330, in person during week days when school is in session between the hours of 8:00am-3:00 pm, or by mailing to the District Clerk at Pierson Middle/High School, 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, NY. 11963. In the request for an application for a military ballot, the military voter is permitted to designate his/her preference for receiving the application for a military ballot, and the military ballot, by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail. All qualified military voters' ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person. Ballots for military voters shall be distributed to qualified military voters no later than twenty-five days before the election, April 24, 2026. Military ballots must be received by the District Clerk (1) before the close of the polls, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, and must show a cancellation mark of the United States postal service or a foreign country's postal service, or must show a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government; or (2) not later than 5:00 pm on the day of the election and be signed and dated by the military voter and one witness, with a date ascertained to be not later than the day before the election.

qualified

A list of persons to whom military ballots are issued will be available for inspection voters of the District in the Office of the District Clerk on and after Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 am-3:00 pm, prevailing time, on each day prior to the day set for the annual election, except Sunday, and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election. Any qualified voter then present in the polling place may object to the voting of the ballot upon appropriate grounds by making his or her challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for early mail ballots and absentee ballots will be obtainable during school business hours from the District Clerk beginning March 20, 2026; completed applications must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than April 20, 2026 and at least seven (7) days before the election, May 12, 2026, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, May 18, 2026, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Early mail ballots and absentee 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 early mail ballots and 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 Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 am-3:00 pm, prevailing time, on each day prior