HALDANE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING/VOTE ON PROPOSITIONS AND TRUSTEE ELECTIONS ON MAY 19, 2026
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Haldane Central School District at Philipstown, Dutchess and Putnam Counties, New York will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM, Prevailing Time, in the Middle School/High School Library of the said District, for the presentation of the budget document for the 2026-2027 school year.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the Haldane Central School District will hold the Annual District Meeting, Election of Members of the Board of Education, and Vote on the Budget and Propositions on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Elementary School Library of the Haldane Central School Building, 15 Craigside Drive, Cold Spring, New York, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM prevailing time, when the polls will be opened for the purpose of voting by paper ballot:
A. To adopt the Annual Budget of the School District for the 2026-2027 school year and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the District. (Proposition #1)
B. To elect one (1) member to the Board of Education, for a three-year term, commencing July 1, 2026 and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed member Margaret (Peggy) Clements whose term expires on June 30, 2026.
C. To vote upon the following propositions:
PROPOSITION #2: SCHOOL BUS PROPOSITION
Shall the following resolution be adopted, to wit:
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Haldane Central School District at Philipstown, Dutchess and Putnam Counties, New York, is hereby authorized to pay the cost of the purchase of student transportation vehicles and maintenance vehicles, including incidental equipment and expenses in connection therewith, at a maximum estimated cost of $175,000 and said amount, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall 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 shall be issued.
If necessary, due to space constraints on the ballots for the voting machines, said proposition may be presented in substantially the following abbreviated form:
SCHOOL BUS PROPOSITION
Shall the following resolution be adopted, to wit:
RESOLVED, that the Haldane Central School District at Philipstown, New York, is authorized to purchase student transportation vehicles and maintenance vehicles/equipment, at a maximum estimated cost of $175,000 and said amount, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable property of said District and collected in annual installments as provided by Section 416 of the Education Law; and, in anticipation of such tax, obligations of said District shall be issued.
PROPOSITION #3: REPLACEMENT OF TENNIS COURTS
Shall the Board of Education of the Haldane Central School District at Philipstown, New York, be authorized to construct, reconstruct, and replace two tennis courts at the Haldane Central School, including equipment, site work and related work required in connection therewith, at a maximum estimated cost of $275,000; with the amount of $275,000 from the District's Facilities Improvement Reserve established in 2018 and amended in 2025, hereby authorized to be expended to pay for the cost of this Project, and such expenditure and transfer of such funds from the District's Capital Reserve to the Capital fund are hereby approved?
PROPOSITION #4: TRANSPORTATION RESERVE
Shall the Haldane Central School District be authorized to establish a capital reserve to be designated "Transportation Reserve" to pay for the cost of District transportation expenses, including, but not limited to, the purchase of buses/vehicles, equipment, infrastructure as well as to support New York State mandated zero-emission bus readiness, with the maximum amount to be $5,000,000 (plus accrued interest and investment earnings), for a maximum term of 10 years; the source of funding to be budgetary appropriations from time to time, unappropriated unassigned fund balance in the general fund at the end of each fiscal year, and other funds legally available to the District transferred to such Reserve?
PROPOSITION #5: BUTTERFIELD LIBRARY BUDGET
Shall the Haldane Central School District, Putnam County, New York, be authorized to levy taxes in the amount of $101,094 for the annual support of the Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library, Cold Spring, New York, and to pay over such monies to the trustees of the Julia L. Butterfield Library for library services during the 2026-2027 fiscal year, and each year thereafter?
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the election and budget vote shall be by paper ballot, absentee ballot, early mail ballot, or military ballot.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required to fund the School District's budget for the 2026-2027 school year, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the District during business hours beginning May 5, 2025, EXCEPT SATURDAY, SUNDAY OR HOLIDAY, during the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM at the following locations: Haldane Central School District, Business Office, Elementary School Office, Middle School Office, and High School Office all located at 15 Craigside Drive, Cold Spring, NY 10516. The Budget will also be available at any free association or public library in the District and 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 the District's website.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of Member of the Board of Education must be filed with the District Clerk not later than Monday, April 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM. Each petition must be directed to the District Clerk, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, must state the residence address of each qualified voter, and must state the name and residence address of the candidate.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots may be obtained at the office of the District Clerk beginning April 20, 2026 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk by 4:00 PM no more than thirty (30) days and at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or by 4:00 PM the day before the election if the ballot is to picked up personally by the voter or the voter's designated agent set forth in the application. Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 PM prevailing time on May 19, 2026.
Separate lists of all persons to whom absentee ballots, early mail ballots, and military ballots have been issued, will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District at the District Clerk's office between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM during the five (5) days prior to the election, on weekdays, and by prior appointment on Saturday, May 16, 2026 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. 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.
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 District Clerk.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law or pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law. If a voter has heretofore registered pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law and has voted at an annual or special district meeting within the last four (4) calendar years, they are eligible to vote at this election; if a voter is registered and eligible to vote under Article 5 of the Election Law, they are also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register with the County or School District.
Residents may register to vote with the District Clerk on any school business day before May 14, 2026 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM at the District Clerk's office, at which time any person will be entitled to have their name placed on such register, provided that they are known or proven to the satisfaction of the District Clerk to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the register is prepared. The register so prepared, including the names of military voters who submitted valid registrations, pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the District Clerk's office of the School District at 15 Craigside Drive, Cold Spring, NY and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning five (5) days prior to the election, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM prevailing time, on weekdays, and by prior appointment on Saturday, May 16, 2026 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM and at the polling place on the day of the vote.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that military voters who are not currently registered voters of the District may request an application to register and military voters who are registered voters of the District may request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk at 15 Craigside Drive, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or by calling the office at (845) 265-9254 x115, or by email: mshields@haldaneschool.org no later than 5:00 PM on April 23, 2026. A military voter may elect to receive their registration application and/or military ballot application and military ballot by mail, email, or facsimile. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed in accordance with the military voter's preference no later than 25 days before the election. Military ballots must be returned by mail or in person and received by the District Clerk by 5:00 PM on May 19, 2026.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HALDANE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILIPSTOWN, PUTNAM AND DUTCHESS COUNTIES, NEW YORK
Megan Shields, District Clerk
March 2026
Cold Spring, New York
April 1, 15, 29, May 13 2026
LNYS0483095