Legal Notices - 4-4-24

NOTICE OF ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET,

ANNUAL MEETING, SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION AND VOTE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Education of the Northeast Central School District, Dutchess and Columbia Counties, New York, will hold a Public Hearing on the Budget in the High School Library at the Webutuck High School Building, Haight Road, Amenia, New York, on Monday, May 7, 2024 at 6:30 P.M., for the purpose of presenting the budget document for the 2024-2025 School Year.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required to fund the budget for the 2024-2025 school year, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the District during business hours, between 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M., prevailing time, at the Webutuck Elementary School, Eugene Brooks Intermediate School, Webutuck High School and at the District Administrative Office between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M., prevailing time, effective April 30, 2024, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays. Copies of the Budget will also be available at the Northeast-Millerton Library and the Amenia Free Library. 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.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Annual Meeting, Election of Members of the Board of Education and Vote on the Budget of the qualified voters of the Northeast Central School District, will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at the Webutuck High School gym, Haight Road, Amenia, New York, between the hours of 12:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M., prevailing time, when the polls will be open for the purpose of voting by voting machine:

A. To elect two (2) members to the Board of Education: one seat (1) is for a three-year term commencing July 1, 2024 and ending on June 30, 2027 to fill the vacant seat of incumbent board member Joanne Boyd; one (1) is to fill the vacant seat that was occupied by Rick Keller Coffey (who resigned 1/22/24) commencing on May 21, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025.

B. 2024-2025 Northeast (Webutuck) CSD Budget

To adopt the annual budget of the North East (Webutuck) Central School District for the fiscal year 2024-2025 and to authorize the requisite portion therefore to be raised by taxation on the taxable property on the District.

C. 2024-2025 Transportation Vehicle Purchase

SHALL the Board of Education of the Webutuck Central School District be authorized to: (1) acquire two (2) 2024 Chevy Type A 20-passenger school buses and one (1) 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 transportation vehicle, at a cost not to exceed $222,238, which is estimated to be the maximum cost thereof; (2) expend such sum for such purpose; (3) levy the necessary tax therefor, to be levied and collected in annual installments in such years and in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Education taking into account state aid; and (4) in anticipation of the collection of such tax, issue bonds and notes of the District and/or enter into installment purchase agreements at one time or from time to time in the principal amount not to exceed $222,238, and levy a tax to pay the interest on said obligations when due?

D. Capital Reserve Fund

Shall the Board of Education of the Webutuck Central School District be authorized to expend a sum not to exceed $4,500,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund to finance the cost of installation of air conditioning in the classrooms of Eugene Brooks Intermediate School and Webutuck High School?

E. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to the Education Law of the State of New York.

The election and budget vote shall be by machine, early voting or absentee ballot. The hours during which the poll shall be kept open shall be from 12:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M., prevailing time, or for as long thereafter as necessary to enable qualified voters who are in the polling place at 9:00 P.M. to cast their ballots.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that petitions for the nomination of candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education must be filed with Clerk of the District no later than Monday, April 22, 2025, by 5:00 P.M., prevailing time, in the form and manner prescribed by Section 2018 of the Education Law. Vacancies on the Board of Education are not considered separate, specific offices; candidates run at-large for the vacant seats. Such petitions must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the School District, shall state the residence address of each signer and the name and residence address of the candidate. The petition shall also describe the length of the term of the office and contain the name of the last incumbent. Petition forms may be picked up on any school day at the Office of the District Clerk, at the Webutuck High School building, Haight Road, Amenia, New York between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. or on the district’s website at www.webutuckschools.org beginning March 1, 2024.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the qualified voters of the School District shall be entitled to vote in said annual vote and election. 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) resident within the School District for a period of thirty (30) days preceding the annual vote and election. The School District may require all persons offering to vote at the budget vote and election to provide one form of proof of residency pursuant to Education Law section 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 School District may also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signature, printed name and address.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that early mail ballots and absentee ballots will be available for this Election and Vote. Applications for early mail and absentee ballots for the School District Election and Vote may be obtained at the Office of the District Clerk at the Webutuck High School building, Haight Road, Amenia, New York on school days during school hours, or on the district’s website at www.webutuckschools.org beginning March 1, 2024 but may not be returned to the District clerk any earlier than April 21, 2024, and must be returned to the District Clerk by May 14, 2024 if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, May 20, 2024, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Early mail and absentee ballots must be received at the Office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M., prevailing time, on the day of the Election and Vote, May 21, 2024.

The Education Law makes special provisions for absentee voting by “permanently disabled” voters of the District and any questions regarding these should be directed to the District Clerk.

A list of all persons to whom early mail ballots and absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District at the said District Administrative Offices during regular office hours, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., prevailing time, including the day of the Election and Vote. Any qualified voter may file a written challenge the acceptance of the ballot of any person on such list, by making his/her challenge and reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls. A challenge to an early mail voter may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an absentee ballot.

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 absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots must be received by the voter by mail, 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 accord with the military voter’s preferred method of transmission, or if no preferred method is identified by mail, not later than twenty-five (25) days before the vote, April 26, 2024. The Clerk of the Board must then receive the military voter’s military ballot by mail or in person not later than 5:00 P.M. on the day of the vote.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with Education Law §§ 2035, 2008, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with and directed to the District Clerk at the District Office, on or before April 22, 2024; must be typed or printed in the English language; must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District; and must state the name and residence of the candidate, and the name and residence of each signer. However, the Board of Education will not entertain or place before the voters any petition or any proposition if its purpose is beyond the power of the voters or is illegal, or any proposition requiring the expenditure of monies which fails to include specific appropriations for all such expenditures required by the proposition.

Therese M. Trotter

Clerk of the Board

Northeast (Webutuck) Central School District

194 Haight Road,
P.O. Box 405,
Amenia, NY 12501

04-04-24