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LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing on the proposed 2024-2025 Budget for the Fort Plain Central School District shall be held in the District Office Conference Room of the Harry Hoag Elementary School, Fort Plain, New York, on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m., prevailing time.

The budget will be available for review at the District Office, Fort Plain, New York, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., weekdays, during the fourteen (14) days preceding the date of the election.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual meeting of the qualified voters of the Fort Plain Central School District will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 between the hours of 11:00am and 8:00pm, prevailing time, in the Library of the Harry Hoag Elementary School, Fort Plain, New York, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by machine on the following items:

PROPOSITION – To adopt the annual budget of the Fort Plain Central School District for the fiscal year 2024-25 and to authorize the requisite portion therefore to be raised by taxation on the taxable property on the District.

PROPOSITION – Shall the Board of Education of the Fort Plain Central School District be authorized to: (a) acquire three (3) school vehicles at a maximum aggregate cost not to exceed $450,000; (b) expend such sums for such purpose; (c) expend from the Bus Purchase/Capital Reserve Fund an amount not to exceed $450,000 for such purpose; (d) levy the necessary tax therefore, to be levied and collected in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Education taking into account state aid received and amounts disbursed from the reserve fund; and (e) in anticipation of the collection of such tax, to issue bonds and notes of the District at one time or from time to time in the principal amount not to exceed $450,000, and to levy a tax to pay the interest on such obligations when due?

PROPOSITION – SHALL that annual appropriation to support and maintain the Fort Plain Free Library be increased by $15,000.00 to $100,000.00, which sum shall be separate and apart from the Fort Plain Central School District annual school district budget and be raised annually by a tax upon the taxable property of the school district, and which appropriation shall be the annual appropriation for the library until changed by further vote of the electors of the school district, and such tax shall be levied and collected yearly as are other general taxes and such monies paid over to the trustees of the Library?

ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBER SEATS

To elect three (3) members of the Board of Education consisting of two (2), three (3) year terms commencing July 1, 2024 and expiring June 30, 2027  and one (1), one (1) year and six (6) week term commencing May 21, 2023, or as soon thereafter as the candidate can be sworn into office, and expiring on June 30, 2025.

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 the 2024-2025 school year, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident in the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual Meeting except Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, at District school buildings between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time and also at said District Election. A report of tax exemptions, showing how much of the total assessed value on 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 early mail or absentee ballot. The hours during which the polls shall be kept open shall be from 11:00 a.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 in Fort Plain, New York, not later than April 22, 2024 at 5:00 p.m., prevailing time. Each petition must be directed to the District Clerk, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters or two percent (2%) of the voters in the previous annual election of the District, whichever is greater, and must state the name and residence of the candidate. A copy of such petition may be obtained at the Office of 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, otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with the District Clerk of the Board of Education at the Fort Plain Central School District, New York on or before April 22, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. prevailing time; must be typed or printed in English, must be directed to the Clerk of the School District and 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 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 expenditure 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 are returnable no earlier than April 22, 2024 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 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 prior to the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, May 14, 2024; or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter, May 20, 2024. Early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 21, 2024.

A list of all persons to whom early mail and absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the office of the District Clerk from 8:00 a.m. until 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 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 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 ballot applications and 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 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 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 redacted tax return or any identification containing the person’s physical address. 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.

Dated: April 1, 2024

Rebecca J. Smith, District Clerk
Fort Plain Central School District

Run Dates:
April 5, 2024
April 15, 2024
May 2, 2024
May 7, 2024
May 14, 2024
May 18, 2024

Download a copy of the 2024-25 Fort Plain Central School District’s Legal Notice of Budget Hearing, Budget Vote and Election

Fort Plain Central School District mourns the passing of Sandra L. Christman, a longtime member of our teaching staff and supporter of our school community.

Mrs. Christman worked as a Spanish teacher at Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School, a position she held for nearly 20 years.

“A dedicated educator, Sandi devoted many years of service to Fort Plain Central School District, sharing her love for learning and enriching the minds of countless students. Her commitment to teaching was matched only by her dedication to her family and her passions, which included quilting and creating countless memories at her beloved camp with friends,” reads a tribute, in part, to Sandra Christman.

View the tribute to Mrs. Christman and learn about her many interests and life experiences.

Three Board of Education seats up for election on May 21

Three seats on the Fort Plain Board of Education will be up for election this May to fill vacancies for terms expiring on June 30, 2024. The new terms will run from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027.

Regular elections for Board of Education seats are held each year on the third Tuesday in May, the same date residents vote on the coming year’s school budget. This year’s vote date is May 21.

Petitions to run for the Board must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024.

For information on how to be placed on the ballot, contact Becky Smith, District Clerk, at becky.smith@fortplain.org or (518) 993-4000, ext. 1000.

Any U.S. citizen who is a resident of Fort Plain Central School District for 30 days prior to the vote may run for a seat on the Board.

Serving as a School Board Member

What does a Board of Education (school board) member do? Why volunteer to serve on the Board? Here’s some helpful information from the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).

Responsibilities of a Board Member

With school children always their ultimate focus, school board members act officially at the board table, working with other board members to serve students and accomplish the following:

• Create a shared vision for the future of education.
• Set the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance.
• Provide rigorous accountability for student achievement results.
• Develop a budget and present it to the community, aligning district resources to improve achievement.
• Support a healthy school district culture for work and learning.
• Create strategic partnerships with the community stakeholders.
• Build the district’s progress through continuous improvement.
• Adopt and maintain current policies.
• Hire and evaluate the superintendent.
• Ratify collective bargaining agreements.
• Maintain strong ethical standards.

Characteristics of a Board Member

Below are attributes that all effective board members should possess:

• Effective Communicator: Can describe what they want and describe what others want; a good listener.
• Consensus Builder: Capable of working toward decisions that all can support and willing to compromise to achieve goals.
• Community Participant: Enjoys meeting a variety of people, can identify the community’s key communicators and reaches out to the community.
• Decision Maker: Is comfortable making decisions and can support group decision-making.
• Information Processor: Can organize priorities and schedules to handle large amounts of verbal and written information.
• Leader: Willing to take risks, be supportive of board colleagues, district staff and community.
• Team Player: Helps promote the board’s vision and goals.