Public hearing for the 2026-2027 budget and board member elections.

LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing on the proposed 2026-2027 Budget for the Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville School District, Saint Johnsville, New York shall be held in the auditorium of the Elementary School of the District on May 6, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. prevailing time. The Budget will be available for review at the District Office, May 5, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., weekdays, during the fourteen (14) days preceding the date of the election. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that said Annual meeting of qualified voters of the Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville School District will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, in the Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Elementary School (“OESJ Elementary School”) Auditorium, 6486 STHWY 29, and the Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville JR/SR High School (“OESJ JR/SR High School”) Auditorium, 44 Center St., St. Johnsville, New York at which time the polls will be opened to vote by machine upon the following items: 1. 2026 -2027 BUDGET 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. ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBER SEATS To elect two (2) members of the Board of Education each to a three (3) year term, commencing on July 1, 2026 and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Shannon Smith and Ty Stowell, whose terms expire on June 30, 2026. 3. OTHER PROPOSITIONS To consider the following propositions: PROPOSITION #1 Shall the board of Education of the Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Central School District be authorized to (1) establish a Capital Reserve Fund, to be known as the Capital Reserve Fund-Facilities 3, for the purpose of financing the cost of improvements to the buildings and grounds, including acquisition, construction or reconstruction of buildings, sites, site work, renovations and improvements including planning costs, furnishings, purchases or installation or reconstruction of machinery or apparatus for heating, lighting, plumbing, ventilating, elevator or power plant systems, technology apparatus required for the purpose for which such buildings are to be used, security whether or not in connection with original construction and (2) fund the Capital Reserve Fund-Facilities 3 to the ultimate amount of $10,000,000 (plus earnings thereon); and (3) deposit annually into the Capital Reserve Fund-Facilities 3 such portion of the any unappropriated fund balance and existing reserves, as determined by the Board of Education? The probable duration of the Fund is ten (10) years. No expenditure shall be made from such fund except upon authorization of the voters of the District for the purposes specified herein. PROPOSITION #2 Shall the Board of Education be authorized to (a) purchase one (1) SUV/VAN, one (1) 65 passenger school bus and transportation related equipment for said purchased buses during the 2026-2027 school year at a cost not to exceed $300,000 from the District’s existing Capital Reserve Fund known as the “Bus Purchase Reserve Fund” to be used in the transportation program of the District, (b) expend such sums for such purpose, and (c) with the result of such expenditure from the Bus Purchase Reserve Fund having no impact on the tax levy for the 2026-2027 school year and (d) no expenditure shall be made from such fund except upon authorization of the voters of the District for the purposes specified herein? 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 a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required to fund the School District’s budget for 2026-2027 school year, exclusive of public monies may be obtained by any resident of the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual meeting except Saturday, Sunday or holidays, during normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., prevailing time at the District Office, 44 Center Street, Saint Johnsville, New York. A report of tax exemptions, showing how much of the total assessed value of the final assessment roll or rolls used in that budgetary process is exempt from taxation, shall be annexed to the budget document. The election and budget vote shall be by machine or by early mail or absentee ballot. The hours during which the polls shall be kept open shall be from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. prevailing time or for as long thereafter as necessary to enable qualified voters who are in the polling place at 8:00 p.m. to cast their ballots. 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 District Clerk at the District Clerk’s office at 44 Center Street. Saint Johnsville, New York, not later than April, 20, 2026 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time. Nominating petitions must be directed to the Clerk of the District; must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters; must state the name and residence of each signer and must state the name and residence of the candidate. A copy of such petition may be obtained at the Office of 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 §2035 and §2008 of the Education law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with the Board of Education at the District Offices, 44 Center Street, Saint Johnsville, New York on or before April 20, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. 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 25 qualified voters or five percent (5%) of the number of qualified voters who voted in the pervious annual election, whichever shall be greater; and must state the name and residence of each signer. However, the School Board will not entertain any petition to place before the power of 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 expenditures of monies is required by the proposition. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that applications for early mail and absentee ballots will be obtainable and returnable no earlier than April 20, 2026 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the District Clerk. Completed applications for early mail and absentee ballots 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, May 12, 2026; or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter, May 18, 2026. Early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on May 19, 2026. A list of persons to whom early mail and absentee voter ballots have been issued will be available for public inspection in the office of the District Clerk from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. prevailing time on each of the five (5) days prior to the day of the election, except weekends, up to the day set for the election. Any qualified voter may, upon examination of such list, file a written challenge of the qualifications as a voter of any person whose name appears on such list, stating the reasons for such challenge. Such written challenge will be transmitted by the clerk to the inspectors of election on election day. 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 school district votes. Whereas 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 not later th