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 Rhinebeck Central School District, Dutchess County, New York, will hold a Budget Hearing in the Bulkeley Middle School Cafeteria, Rhinebeck, New York, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of presenting the budget document for the 2026-2027 School Year.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for School District purposes during the 2026-2027 school year (the Budget), exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the district during business hours, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., at each of the District’s schoolhouses, at the Administrative offices and at any free association or public library in the District, effective May 5, 2026, except Saturday, Sunday, or holidays. The Budget will also be available on the District website. A Real Property Tax Exemption Report prepared in accordance with Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law will be annexed to any tentative/preliminary budget as well as the final adopted budget of which it will form a part; and shall be posted on District bulletin board(s) maintained for public notices, as well as on the District’s website.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Annual Meeting, Election of Members of the Board of Education and Vote on the Budget, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the Rhinebeck High School/Bulkeley Middle School, Rhinebeck, NY, between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, when the polls will be opened for the purpose of voting by voting machine:
A. To elect two (2) members to the Board of Education, for three-year terms, commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029.
B. To vote upon the appropriation of the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures for School District purposes for the 2026-2027 School Year (the Budget).
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that personal registration of voters is required pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law. If an eligible voter is currently registered to vote with the Dutchess County Board of Elections, they are also eligible to vote in this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register with either the Board of Elections or the District. Any qualified voter may register to vote for the Annual Election and Budget Vote during regular school business hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on days when school is in session (September through June) and from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on business days (July and August) at the District Clerk’s Office or the Business Office, both located in the Rhinebeck High School/Middle School [45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY], by providing proof of District residence, which may include one or more of the following items at the District’s discretion: driver’s license with picture, non-driver identification card with picture, passport, lease agreement, deed plus utility bill, and/or redacted copy of income tax return. Persons wishing to register with the District to be eligible to vote on May 19, 2026 must register by May 14, 2026. A qualified voter is someone who is a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age and who has resided in the School District during the 30 days immediately preceding the Election and Vote. The residence in the School District must be the individual’s primary place of residence or domicile (not a weekend residence).
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Register of voters so prepared, including the names of military voters who submitted valid military voter registrations, shall be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the District [45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY] and shall be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M., prevailing time, beginning on May 14, 2026, except Saturday and Sunday. Said Register will be open for inspection at the polling place on the date of the election and vote.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that petitions for nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education must be filed with the Clerk of the District [45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY] by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026, in the form and manner prescribed by Section 2018 of the Education Law. Nominating petitions must be signed by at least 26 qualified voters of the District, shall state the name and residence address of each signer and the name and residence address of the candidate. Petition forms may be obtained at the Office of the District Clerk located at the District Office in the Rhinebeck High School/Middle School [45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY], on weekdays when school is in session, during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to Section 2018-a and Section 2018-e of the Education Law, applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots for the School District Election and Vote may be obtained at the office of the District Clerk [45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY]. The application for absentee ballots or early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk no more than thirty (30) days and at least seven (7) days prior to the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot will be picked up personally by the voter or their authorized agent set forth in the application at the office of the District Clerk. Upon receiving a timely application for a mailed absentee ballot or early mail ballot, the District Clerk will mail the ballot to the address designated on the application by no later than six (6) days before the election. Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received at the Office of the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on the day of the Election and Vote, May 19, 2026. Separate lists of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued and early mail ballots have been issued, as well as a list of all military voters to whom military ballots shall have been issued, will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District at the Office of the District Clerk on weekdays when school is in session during regular office hours, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., prevailing time, until the day of the Election and Vote, and at the Business Office [45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY], and on Saturday, May 16, 2026 by appointment only. Any qualified voter may file a written challenge of the qualifications of a voter whose name appears on any such list stating the reason for the challenge.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that Military Voters who are not currently registered to vote may apply to register as a qualified voter of the District and military voters who are registered to vote may obtain an application for a military ballot, for the Annual Meeting on May 19, 2026, by contacting the District Clerk at 45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572, Telephone (845) 871-5520, Ext. 5522 or email: wdruker@rhinebeckcsd.org. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration application and/or military ballot application by mail, facsimile or email. The completed application to register and/or military ballot application must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M. on April 23, 2026. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed no later than 25 days before the election. Military ballots must be returned by mail or in person and received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M. on May 19, 2026.
Rhinebeck Central School District
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
Whitney Druker
District Clerk 12156407