WALTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING AND VOTE
A Budget Hearing for the inhabitants of the Walton Central School District qualified to vote at School District Meetings will be held in the Boardroom located in the O’Neill High School, 47-49 Stockton Avenue, Walton, NY 13856 and may be viewed live and recorded on the Walton Central School District YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeNyGfgqoZkRPqVwVc3VD1g commencing at 6:15 PM, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 where there shall be presented the proposed school district budget for the following school year.
Date of Annual Meeting
The vote upon the appropriation of the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures or for any propositions involving the expenditure of money or the authorizing of levy of taxes, as well as the election of members of the Board of Education shall be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the School Bus Garage, 220 Delaware Street, between the hours of 12:00 Noon and 8:00 PM.
The following propositions shall be put forth to the voters in substantially the following form:
Proposition No. 1
Shall the submitted 2026-27 budget as presented by the Board of Education in the amount of $26,921,300 be approved and be adopted and the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures be appropriated and the Board of Education be authorized to levy the necessary taxes to meet the estimated expenditures? Adoption of this budget requires a tax levy increase of 3.50% which exceeds the statutory tax levy increase limit of 2.01% for this school fiscal year and therefore exceeds the state tax cap and must be approved by sixty percent of the qualified voters present and voting.
Proposition No. 2
Shall the Board of Education of the Walton Central School District be authorized to purchase and finance three (3) 64-passenger student transport vehicles and one (1) 48-passenger student transport vehicle with wheelchair lift, including necessary furnishings, fixtures and equipment and all other costs incidental thereto, and expend a total sum not to exceed $735,000, which is estimated to be the total maximum cost thereof, and said amount, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable property of said School District and collected in annual installments as provided by Section 416 of the Education Law; and, in anticipation of such tax, obligations of said School District, in the principal amount not to exceed $735,000, be issued?
Statement of Money Required for Next School Year
A copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the next school year for school purposes shall be completed seven days before the Budget Hearing and may be obtained by any resident of the District, at each schoolhouse, during the period of 14 days immediately before the Annual Meeting and Election, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, except Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.
Vote for Board Members
Petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education must be filed with the Clerk of the District between the hours of 9:00 AM, and 4:00 PM not later than 5:00 PM on April 20, 2026. The following vacancies are to be filled:
A three-year term ending June 30, 2029 presently held by M. Graydon Dutcher
A three-year term ending June 30, 2029 presently held by Kevin Verweire
Each petition must be addressed to the Clerk of the District and signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the District, shall state the residence of each signer, and the name and address of the candidate. Vacancies upon the Board shall not be considered separate specific offices. The individuals receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to the vacancies.
Voter Propositions
Any proposition that is required to be included for vote shall be submitted in writing by means of a petition, signed by at least 25 qualified voters or two percent of the voters in the previous Board of Education Election, stating the residence of each signer, which proposition shall be filed with the Board of Education not later than 30 days before the date of the election as set forth in this notice unless a greater number of days is required by statute. Any proposition may be rejected by the Board of Education if the purpose of the proposition is not within the powers of the voters or where the expenditure of monies is required by the proposition, and such proposition fails to include the necessary specific appropriation.
Qualified Voters
Qualified voters of the School District shall be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. A qualified voter is one who is (1) a citizen of the United States of America, (2) eighteen years of age or older, and (3) resident within the School District for a period of thirty (30) days next preceding the Annual Meeting, and is not otherwise disqualified from voting. The School District may require all persons offering to vote at the Annual Meeting to provide one form of proof of residency. Such form may include, but is not limited to, a driver's license or a utility bill.
Military Voters
Military voters who are qualified voters of the School District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk at (607) 865-4116 Ext. 6130 or cphraner@waltoncsd.org. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, the District Clerk must have received a valid ballot application no later than 5:00 PM on 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. The School District will transmit military ballots to military voters on April 24, 2026. Completed military ballots must be received by the School District by 5:00 PM on May 19, 2026 in order to be counted.
Early Mail Voter and Absentee Ballots
Applications for early mail voter and absentee ballots may be applied for at the Office of the District Clerk at the District Office. Such applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven days before the vote set in this notice if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter or the day before the vote if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Ballots must be received in the Office of the Clerk of the District not later than 5:00 PM on the date of the vote.
A list of all persons to whom absentee voters' and early mail ballots have been issued shall be available for public inspection during regular office hours which are between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Any qualified voter, may upon examination of such list, file written challenge of qualifications of a voter of any person whose name appears on such list, stating the reasons for the challenge. Such written challenge shall be transmitted by the Clerk or designee to the Election Inspectors on election day.
Dated: April 2, 2026
By Order of the Board of Education of the Walton Central School District
S. Corey Phraner
District Clerk
